Bound Together
by kkimberly49
Summary: After Gerry dies Olivia decides that she needs to get away to get her life together, but before she leaves she ties up some loose ends in her life. Karen will be the glue that finally brings them together. My take on their happily ever after. Olitz all the way. ****I own none of the characters. They all belong to Shonda.
1. Chapter 1

Olivia (Day after Gerry dies)

I am so confused about what I should do. I feel like I am the scandal if I stay here, but if I leave then I am a quitter and gladiators never quit. Wow I have just answered the question that I have been pondering for years now. Am I gladiator or a bitch? Well there is no time like the present. I look to my left and I tell Jake; You need to get off the plane. I am sure that you need to stand in the sun, but we can not do it together. Lets be real. You think that if you can get me far enough away from Fitz that I will forget about him. You are in some contest for my heart that will never be yours no matter what you do. You really don't want me, you just want to get the upper hand on Fitz. The funny thing is I am not sure why and I don't care. I am not sure if I will ever belong to Fitz but I know for sure that I will never belong to you. Besides I know that you are really just interested in sticking it to my Dad. Well newsflash Jake as much as I can not stand my dad right now you will no longer use me as a tool to get back at him. If you think that you can overtake him as Command be my guest, but you will not use me. Jake is at a lost for words because really he knows that she is telling the truth, and he should have known that she would know but he was banking on her being lonely to buy him some time. He realizes that there is no time and decides to quit while he is ahead because he sees that look in her eye that tells him that she is one step from calling Huck to finish him off if he does not leave her alone; therefore Jake says, "You are right" you are something that I want but for all the wrong reasons. You think that you are better than me, but you are not. You are nothing but the whore that Mellie says you are and I was just getting my piece of the pie. Jake realizes that he has gone to far. He expects her to hit him but she looks up and smiles at him and says take a whore to know a whore but unlike you this whore has people in her corner so I would be very careful of the next steps you take. I think people would be very upset to know that you have put your hands on me not once but twice. I am no longer in a forgiving mood so you have five seconds to get your shit and get off of my plane. Jake looks at her and leaves, but in the back of his mind he knew that his mouth was going to be his death sentence. He just had to throw in one last jab.

She sits on the plane and knows that she still needs to leave but knows that she needs to handle things a little differently so she places her first call, and it was to Tom. She explained where she was and asked if she could get Fitz away for the evening so she could talk to him before she left. She loves him too much to just disappear and not talk to him. Tom said that he would make sure that he could get away. She told him that she would call Cyrus next and thanked Tom as always for his assistance. She calls Cyrus and he yells where the hell are you Liv? She says I am on a plane and I am leaving for a while. I wanted to make you aware. Cyrus sits down and realizes that he has taken things to far with her and now he was going to lose the President forever. Cyrus begins to beg Olivia and says that he will do whatever but please do not leave. He was talking so much and so fast that she could not get a word in. Finally she says shut the hell up Cyrus. When he does she finally explains that she has called Tom and he is going to bring Fitz to her tonight and they are going to release a statement asking for privacy during this difficult time as they grieve the death of their son Gerry. She is going to call her team next and let them know that they will be taking on the case of the White House until further notice. Cyrus I am only going to say this to you once because I have always allowed you and Mellie to make me feel like I am a whore and a second class citizen because I feel in love with Fitz, but from now on you will stay the hell out of our relationship. If we decide to get back together you will support us or I will make sure that I personally ruin you. You always think I am the best at my job when you want something, but when you think that it might ruin your seat at the table then I am nothing and that is going to stop now. Are we understood? Cyrus smiles because he know knows that he is dealing with the political animal that he groomed and with Fitz on her side he was no match. He was actually excited to see where things were head so he simply says, Understood. She ends the call and places a call to Huck. He says are you back and she no not just yet, but I have decided some things so can you put on speaker so that I can talk to everyone at the same time. He calls everyone to the conference room.

Huck says Olivia everyone is here. Olivia says I know that you all are upset about me leaving and are concerned that you will not have any work, but you do in fact have two cases that you will be working while I am gone. Please be mindful that these cases go hand in hand. The first case is one that you will be working because I have already accepted it, and the other I will give you a choice on if you would like to handle it or not. Abby being funny says, Oh we are back to having choices again. Liv says you always have the choices just like you have the choice to leave. That shuts Abby down. Olivia continues and says that the first case will be the White House. You will be responsible for assisting with the funeral and the after math of the death of Gerry Grant. Everything will need to be coordinated with Cyrus and if President Grant ask for additional requests then I will need you all to step in and assist. While I am gone Abby you will become the face of OPA. We will not make it public that I am not handling the day to day operations. You will make the final decisions on any cases that are taken or rejected but please be mindful that the White House is a top priority. Before Abby can say anything she says Abby we have been best friends for over 15 years and despite how you think that I do not care or trust you I trust all of you with my life. I know that you have the mouth and the wits to be on the front like while Huck and Quinn are doing the dirty work. Once I get set up I will contact you back with emergency contact information, but it is to only be used if someone is dying or dead. Everyone says okay because they now understand that Olivia is not abandoning them now, and they have no problem being her gladiator for however long it takes. Abby speaks and says Olivia what is the optional case? She pauses and says it is me and the President. You could hear a pin drop. Olivia decides to put it out there. The fact is that Fitz and I have been in love for five years and I have fought it and I am tired. The fact is that if I had allowed him to love me then some of the things that have happened may have been prevented, I was a coward. I will be speaking with Fitz tonight to discuss what may or may not happen with us. If Fitz decides that he still wants to be in a relationship with me then we will be your clients. Huck I need a kill folder on Mellie and Cyrus, I am not going to fight him, but I know that Mellie will and I need to be able to fight back when she calls me a whore because my gut tells me I am not the only whore at the table. I want one on Cyrus just in case he decides to step out of line. I am sorry if I have let you guys down, but in time I hope to make it up to you. Abby says, Olivia we owe you our lives and I know that I have been giving you a hard time and I am sorry but I love you and I will do anything to protect you so Over a Cliff. Huck and Quinn agree. Olivia says well I will be in touch soon. Huck can I talk with you a second before you hang up. Huck goes back to his office and says okay I am alone what is up Liv. She explains what happen on the plane with Jake and states that she wants him taken care of, but not killed. He says I am on it. She says thanks and ends the call. Right as the call ends the last person she needed to speak to before she leaves sits down in front of her. She speaks, Hi Dad thanks for coming...

Rowan looks at Olivia and notices that she looks at him with love and no longer hate and for some reason that bothers him. Olivia says Dad I am hoping that for once in my life I can talk to my dad and not command. If at the end of this conversation we can do that then I look forward to having you in my life, walking me down the aisle when I get married, seeing your grandchildren, and eating more than Sunday dinners that are not forced but ones that we look forward to. That will only happen if you leave Fitz and I alone once and for all. Whatever does or does not happen is between us. You have no problem putting the blame of Fitz like I am still your 12-year-old daughter that he has taken advantage of when I am 35 years old. Both of us realize that we did not start this relationship in the most honorable of ways, but he gave me an out when he told me that night to walk into my hotel room and I went into his. So I knew what I was doing. Has he hurt me, yes but I have hurt him too. The hurt comes most when we are fighting our emotions and I am tired because I know that no man will love me like Fitz will. At the end of the day I know that no one will be ever good enough for me in your eyes, but that is what all dads thinks. At the end of the day after all of the dirty things you have done to Fitz he still fights for me, and now I am ready to fight for him, but before I start this process I need to know who my enemies are so I need to know before I leave to put my life back together so I can come back to a life that I want to live what side are you on dad. Rowan looks at Olivia and for once realizes that she is not looking for his approval, she is not scared of what he will or will not do. She is really just trying to understand where all the cards are at this time. Rowan looks at her and knows that he now has the opportunity to protect the republic but still be dad and she would be okay with that. At the end of the day she is right it takes two to tango and despite everything that he has done to Fitz he is still standing ready to choose Olivia. He also knows that Olivia would never be an ornamental First Lady because Fitz really did respect her. He knows that it is time to wave the white flag and he does. Rowan says Olivia I am ready to be your dad. I will respect your relationship with Fitz. Olivia cries because she knows that he is serious and she has never felt better. Rowan hugs her and get us to get off the plane so it could take off. He says how long will you be gone. She says he is not sure but she would connect with him once she returns. Rowan says that is fine, but before he steps off he says have Huck call me when gets Jake that is something that I want us to handle together. She just looks at him and nods. She texts Huck with the update and says she is taking the SIM card out and will be in contact soon with a new number. Tom sends a message on the Fitz phone confirming the arrangements have been made and the time of their arrival.

She sit back and buckles up not knowing what was about to happen with her life, but it had to be better than what she was living now.

Author's Note:

Next up we will see what Fitz is dealing with before he meets with Olivia for the Big Conversation. I will not have them breaking up in this story. They are going to be adults and deal with their issues without running. Let me know what you think


	2. Chapter 2-What A Day

Fitz (Day after Gerry Dies)

Fitz was lost for words trying to understand what had taken place. In the last 24 hours he had lost his oldest son, won an election that he knew was not going his way, and Olivia is nowhere to be found. I heard Mellie calling her phone. I am not sure if Mellie really called or if she really left but I know that she is not here in D.C. I can feel it in my bones that she is gone. I don't have it in my heart to be angry anymore. I just wish that she would have said goodbye before she left. Now I am here in this prison for four more years and she is gone. I want to be angry that she left me high and dry but really I have no right because I am the one that is married. She is free to love and enjoy life as she sees fit. I always tell her that I love her beyond words and that I only want to see her happy, and now that Gerry has died I can no longer be comfortable with the fact that her sitting around waiting for me is the right thing to do. I need her to be happy even if I am not because that is what you do for those that you love. Maybe one day I will get a chance to tell her that. In the meantime I have to bury my son.

Cyrus and Tom come in and inform me that they have released a statement to the press asking for privacy right now as the family takes an opportunity to grieve. They also inform me that I will be leaving tonight alone for an overnight trip to clear my head. The statement says that I will be at Camp David, but I will be going to another secure location. All they would tell me is that everything had been handled and I needed an overnight bag. They also informed me that Olivia had put OPA in charge of handling the White House through this process and that Abby would be the spokesperson in Olivia absence. I think they were expecting me to blow a gasket when I heard that Olivia was gone, but again I had no right. I for once had to be her man and understand that if she left then she had her reasons and that I had to respect that so I told them both that if anyone from OPA or even Cyrus heard from her to please tell her that I understand that she had to leave. I would love to get to say goodbye and hear her voice one more time, but if not I understand and that I do love her. Cyrus was at a lost for words because he was prepared to battle, but he could tell that the President was just tired of everything and he wanted peace. He could also tell for the first time that this was not an affair that Olivia was never the mistress she was always the one. In that moment Cyrus promised himself that he would always go to bat for them if they decided to get said he would relay the information to OPA. They discussed the funeral arrangement for Gerry and the President wanted it to be private and no press. He had already won an election because his son had died. He was not going to make it any more public. Right as he made that statement Mellie walked in the door and said well he was my son too, do I not get a say. Fitz looked at her and simply said no you can participate from the sidelines like you always have as the parent. No need to start being the parent now that he has died. Everyone was at a lost for words. Fitz put his hand up to stop her from speaking for a moment. He asked that Cyrus and Tom give him some time to speak with Mellie and then he would pack to leave tonight.

As soon as the door closed Mellie went on a rant like no other, but the more she talked the madder that Fitz got but he allowed her to continue to let her talk until she said that he was more concerned that his whore had left than he was with the fact that his son had died. Before she knew it he was in Mellie face so close that she could feel the hot air coming out of his mouth.

He said for the last 15 years I have let you carry on and run things because I was blinded by ambition, scared to stick up for myself, and finally not wanting to be a failure in a married that should have never happened to begin with but that ends today. Mellie was about to speak when he said, Shut Up. You always like to call Olivia a whore, but I guess that it would take one to know one since you have been with me for the last 15 years because of a contract that was struck between our families. I would also consider you a whore because after my father raped you instead of coming to me your husband to protect you, you decided that you would continue to have sex with him in exchange for money to stay with me. Then if that was not enough when he threw you to the curb you just kept sleeping around. Oh you thought that I was dumb because I never brought it up to you. I guess that you forgot that I went to Harvard graduated at the top of my class, I was a Navy pilot, I have led missions, was an accomplished attorney, and finally Governor of the largest state in the U.S. before I became president. Before Olivia came in the picture I had you followed because I knew that there would come a day when I was tired of you and I wanted to be able to get out and move on. That time has come. For you to sit here and act like you were the mother hen is beyond crazy to me. Children were nothing more than an image for you, and I will not allow you to use Gerry death for ratings. So with that being said this is what is going to take place, when I get back we are going to go to California as a family and bury our son in private and you will stay there. When I return we will release a statement stating that you needed additional time to grieve the loss. In a month we will release a statement saying that after 15 years of marriage we have determined that we can no longer live this way and the death of our son was the last straw. We will file for a fast track divorce and everything that is listed in the pre-nup will be followed. I will not give you the additional 10 million for the affair that I had with Olivia because I know that you received 20 million for having the two children with me, and the reason it is not 30 million is because I know that Teddy is not my child but is Andrew's child. Please do not bother to deny it. I am happy that you are getting it somewhere. Mellie is stunned but never one to back down from a fight says, What makes you think that I will follow through on this plan? Fitz chuckles and says because I know that image is everything to you. See I have no problem releasing all of the information that I have and before Olivia left she tasked her team to help the White House through whatever transition will take place and I know that Huck if he has not already gotten a kill folder on you that he would be more that happy to not for me but to protect Olivia. She says, well maybe I am more interested in ruining you and he says perhaps but the difference between me and you is that I no longer care. I have already lost a child and the love of my life finally got tired of waiting and left so at this point I am playing with house money. I will be more than happy to leave this prison and not serve four more years. I will still get speaking engagements, write a book, and open up a charity at some point but you will always remain the Former Ice Queen Cheater Bitch of a First Lady. I don't expect you to answer me right now. I will know you answer when I get on the plane to come back to D.C. I will be coming back with the kids who will remain with me as I will be given full custody and you can have visitation. Karen will not be going back to boarding school, but I will enroll her in a private school here in D.C. I have allowed you to have the reigns for 15 years now I am taking them back. Mellie looks into Fitz's eyes and know that she better be thankful that the pre-nup gives her anything. She says fine I will have my things sent to California. He says you can have the second home that we purchased there, but not the ranch. I will make sure that the lawyer draws that up in the paperwork. She is thankful that he is at least giving her a place to stay. She says, you must endorse me when I run for office. He says I don't have to do anything but live but I will because I am not going to go tit for tat with you, but do not call Olivia for any favors and if I even think that you or anyone around you is trying to blackmail or make her feel bad I will start releasing information one piece at a time so that you slowly suffer. Damn, she finally realizes that she never had Fitz on a string, she was the one on the string and he was just letting her hang herself one step at a time. She nods and leaves the office. He sits down on the couch and was going to grab a drink, but he no longer felt the need for scotch. He just wanted to get his life in order and finally live without regrets. He calls Lauren and ask her to send Karen in to speak with him. He wanted to talk with her before he left tonight and he wanted to explain the funeral, the pending divorce, and the fact that she was not going back to boarding school.

While Fitz was waiting for Karen he called over to OPA and Abby answered the phone. He sounded so sad and she knew why but kept silent. He asked if they had time to speak with him and she said yes. She put the phone on conference and Huck and Quinn came in. Fitz began by thanking them for taking the case on with Olivia gone. He asked if Cyrus provided him the details on what he wanted for the funeral. Abby said that she had received the fax and Quinn was working on the details and would have an outline to him within 24 hours. He said that is fine. What he says next leaves the whole room stunned. I have informed Mellie that she will not be returning from California with me because we are getting a divorce. Abby I understand that you still practice law so I am asking you to take me on as a client and I will pay an additional 3 million each for your services since I know that this is a huge undertaking and it may not leave you with time for a lot of other clients. The courier will be bringing you a packet with the pre-nup in addition to the tapes, pictures, and audio of information that I have found on Mellie over the years. I also informed her that I would not be surprised if Huck did not also have a folder on her if for no other reason that to protect Olivia. Even Huck had to admit he was stunned at that statement because it was true. The packet explains the what she will get in addition I want you to deed the second home that we have in Malibu to her. Please get a court order giving me full custody of the two remaining kids which she is aware of, but I would like to keep this under wraps for now. I want a statement released when I return stating that she is taking additional time there to grieve and a month from now we need to draft and release a statement announcing the divorce. Abby is about to speak but Fitz ask her one more thing I am sure that Olivia has helped a lot of people over time. I am asking if you could vet and find me and my kids a therapist to see when we return. I need to be okay and ready to move on if Olivia ever comes back to me. She does not need my baggage. She has had that for five years. I know that none of you approve of me, but I hope to earn your love and respect one day. Surprisingly Huck speaks up and says sir you already have that. We know that things have happened between the two of you, but we know that you have never set out to hurt her. We will help you through this. Fitz gives his thanks and says that he will be in touch. As he is ending the call he sees Karen come in.

Karen seems so frail for someone who was about to turn 13 years old. He knew that she was so lost without Gerry because he had always protected her. When she came in she just climbed in his lap and started crying. He just held her and they cried together. Once she calmed down. Fitz asked her what were her fears and thoughts in this moment. Karen says, I am about to go back to a school that I have never felt like was a fit for me without the one person that always had my back. I am here with you and I realize how much I miss you. I also hate that although I have talked to Olivia a couple of times that I will once again have to leave without seeing her. He is shocked to hear her talk about Olivia so he ask her as calmly as possible, When do you talk to Olivia and she says all of the time. Either by phone, email, or FaceTime. She would check in with us often to make sure we were okay. If mom would not let us talk to you stating that you were too busy to talk then we would call Olivia to check on you. Did you ever get random calls or text asking what you were up to? He thought about it and says yes. Those were for us and she would either show us the text or send it to us. She would record you talking about us and missing us and send it to us so that we knew you had not forgotten about us. Although we have grown to hate Mellie she would never allow us to speak bad about her. She would explain to us that she just could only give the love that she was given. She always said that we were enough for you, and that she loved us always and forever. He sat there stunned and did not realize he was crying until it was too late. Karen said, Dad can I ask you a question? He said sure. She asked, "Are you in love with Olivia?" He just shakes his head, and she says I think that she feels the same way about you. There were times that Gerry and I could tell that she was physically in pain not being near you but she never said one cross word. Fitz looked up and said what would you say if I told you that your mom is not coming back to the White House and we bury your brother and you will be coming back to the White House to live with me full-time. She said there unable to say a word. Then she starts crying and says dad now is not the time to get my hopes up. He says good then it is a good think that I am not. Karen looks at him and knows that he is serious and all she could do is cry. When she finally gets herself together she asks what about Olivia and he says she went away. I am not sure if she is ever coming back, but if she does I am working on me so that maybe she will give me a chance. Karen says she will. By the way I now understand what she meant when she said to give you a big hug and a kiss and tell you that she loves you to the moon and back, so Karen gives it to him and they just cry some more. Fitz explains that he has to leave for a trip before they head to bury her brother. He asked if she would like to go over to Cyrus's house and help watch Ella and she says she would love to so he calls Cyrus and he comes and collects Karen. While Karen is packing he brings him up to speed and waits for the blowup. Cyrus says, Enjoy your trip sir. OPA will handle everything else. He could not believe it but he was not about to make a big deal out of a calm Cyrus. He kisses Karen and packs and Tom is at the door preparing to take him to this destination.

A/N: So I think that someone ask me what happens to Mellie and that gives you an idea. I have not decided if I am going to let her be smart and give in or if she is going to try to push some buttons. Next is the reunion of Fitz and Olivia and while it will be hard at times I look forward to seeing them come to a resolution together likes the smart adults they are. I will be creating a twitter account soon to show pictures of things that will happen throughout the story. Send me your thoughts...


	3. Chapter 3-Laying It on the Line

Author's Note-I have changed the format up so hopefully it will be easier to read. The italics and the bold show conversations so I hope that it makes it easier. Please send me reviews so that I can continue to make the story better. I have posted pictures of what I imagined the house would be on twitter. Account name:kkimberly49. Sorry for any grammar errors. I do not own these characters. All Shonda Rhimes

The original plan was to go somewhere far away like an island but the more she thought about it the more that did not seem like a good idea. She was no longer running away, but taking a step back and getting her life in order. She decided that she would do that in Vermont considering that only a handful of people knew about the home that Fitz had built there. She remembers when she seen it for the first time and could not believe that it was her home. Fitz had purchased 185 acres of land and there was lot of orchards for her to make jam. In addition there was seven bedrooms, six baths, a swimming oasis that made you feel like to went to heaven, stables for horses, the wine room I almost loved more than the house, and a kitchen that I could not only prepare meals in but really enjoy our family. As I pull up to the house I wonder after tonight if we will ever get our happily ever after. I had called Sally who was the fulltime housekeeper and informed her that we were coming in tonight so that the house would be ready when we got here. I greeted Sally and she informed me that the house was all set up and that she prepared us a dinner, and it was in the refrigerator. It would just need to go in the oven to warm up. After she left I realized how tired I was so I went upstairs and after a shower I feel asleep.

Fitz is sitting on Marine One not sure where he was heading tonight and all he could hope is that it would not require him to think too much. His brain was tired and his emotions were all over the place. He missed his son so much and he missed the love of his life. He kept thinking how she had waited for him for five years. Yeah he had said that he would give it all up for her, but if that was really the case then he would have done it whether she stayed around or not. In that moment he realized that he had to change things for himself first and if she came back to him then that would be an added bonus. One think that he vowed he would not do when he talked to her is fight. He was tired of fighting. He wanted peace in his life. He was getting too old to go back and forth. He just wished that he would have gotten to say good-bye. In that moment he said a silent prayer hoping that wherever she was that she was happy and in peace. He did not realize that he had dozed off until Tom woke him up and informed him that they would be arriving in about 10 minutes. When he asked Tom where they were, Tom replied,**_ Vermont_**.

Fitz looked like he had seen a ghost and for a moment Tom thought he might be having a heart attack so Tom thought he better say something before he blows up. Tom says,**_ "Mr. President we are going to your home that you share with Olivia. Olivia is there and requested that we bring you to her. She has already arrived_**. All Fitz could do was cry. He had so many emotions in that moment but the biggest one was relief because he at least knew that she was okay. Fitz just nodded his head to let Tom know that he understood, but he could not say anything more because his emotions were getting the best of him. He just sat back and thought about the fact that he was going to see the love of his life at least one more time, they were going to be in there home like he always dreamed about, what was going to happen to them after tonight, and so many other things. He really just wanted to get everything out on the table. Marine One landed on the lawn and Tom and the other agents did a walkthrough and Tom noticed Olivia was sleep and did not disturb her. He went downstairs and informed the President that everything was clear that Olivia was in their master bedroom asleep and he would be in the guest house if he needed anything.

Fitz looked around the house and noticed that it was now a home. When Olivia had asked him not to sell the house he immediately put the house in her name so should anything happen to him while he was still in office he wanted to make sure that Mellie could not take the home from Olivia. Olivia had received the deed and the keys in the mail a couple of weeks after they came back. She initially had refused to accept it, but Fitz said the home was for the both of them but needed to make sure that if anything happened to him that Mellie could not take it from her which was why it was in her name. He also wanted her to decorate the home as she saw fit since he had it built he thought it was only fair she designed the inside as she saw fit. Over the last year he knew that she had enlisted Martha Stewart to help her because the bills were sent to his private accountant. He never asked to see pictures because he wanted to be surprised like he surprised her with the fact that he built the house. As he walked around he just felt like he was home. She had put touches of both of them in the house. As he looked at the fireplace mantle he noticed that she had pictures up. He remembered some, but others he had never seen. He immediately went to one in the middle that was of her and Gerry at a debate challenge that he knew he had not long before he died. All he could do was cry. He knew that she loved his kids but he never knew that she was taking time out of her schedule to spend with the kids. All he wanted to do was hold her so he went up the steps to their master bedroom.

When Fitz opened the French doors he was just in awe of their room. The cherry oak furniture was dark but inviting. The room was a great representation of the both of them. The teal satin curtains and pillows blended in and brought out her softer side. In the middle of the king size bed lay Olivia. She was laying there in one of his Navy t-shirts. He stopped asking her if she had his shirts a long time ago because she always did. I could tell that she was tired because she did not even take the time to tie up her hair. He went over and climbed on the bed and touched her cheeks. At first she did not move so he started kissing her all over her face. He could tell that she thought she was dreaming that he was kissing her so he pulled her up in his lap and kept kissing her until she woke up. When her eyes opened she said, **_Fitz_**. He just smiled and looked in her eyes and said, "_**Hi**_". With tears in her eyes she looked at him with love and said, **_"Hi_**". They just held each other crying. No one could say anything and in this moment no words were needed. What they needed at this time was each other so he got out of his clothes until he got down to his boxers, and they climbed in the bed and went to sleep.

A couple hours later Fitz woke up and realized he was in the bed alone. He threw a shirt and some sweatpants on and headed downstairs. He found Olivia at the kitchen island with a glass of wine and doing a puzzle on her I-Pad. When he entered the kitchen she looked up at him and smiled. He just looked at her because while she looked like his Livvie he also felt like she was different. Before he could say anything she said, **_Sally cooked us a lasagna_**. I just put it in the oven to heat up. I have set up the table for us to eat. I thought we should eat something before we talk, and I know that you have been going non-stop for the last 24 hours. Fitz nodded his head and said, **_"That sounds good_****_and I know that we have a lot to talk about but I just want to say I love you. I know that I have taken you for granted but I have always loved you."_**She looks up at him and says, "**_ I love you too"._**It totally threw Fitz off because he was not expecting her to say it back. The next thing he knows they started kissing. Holding her and kissing her made him feel whole again if even for a moment. The timer went off and after a few seconds they separated and prepared to sit down for dinner.

Dinner was great and they sat down and eat and drank a bottle of wine and talked about everything and nothing. They avoided the heavy topics knowing that time would come soon but just wanted to enjoy some down time in their home. Fitz says,**_ I love what you have done to the home. It feels like us and it is everything that I thought it would be and more_**. She says **_thank you_**. They know that the time has come to talk so they clean up the kitchen and head into the family room.

When they both sit down Olivia begins to speak first. I know that I have a lot of explaining to do and I am willing to do that, but I am hoping that we do not end up having a knock down drag out fight. I am not sure if I can handle that. If you would allow me the opportunity to say everything that I need to say and then I will allow the same with you and then we can go from there and decide what will happen. Fitz nods and agrees with Olivia.

Olivia starts,_ I want to start by telling you that I love you from the bottom of my heart. I know that I have not always been the one to express that, and it because it was never expressed to me. I thought that being in love with you was a sign of weakness instead of being a sign of strength. These last almost five years I have went through every range of emotion where it concerns you. Some of the blame does rest on me. It started when I sold my soul to the devils of Hollis, Cyrus, Verna, and Mellie. They all had everything to gain and I had everything to lose and in the end for a while I did lose. I lost you. I can't take back the election rigging and I will be honest and say that I am not sure if I would take back the decision to do it, because at the end of the day my only thought was you. However the situation with Amanda and the way that you treated me in the closet took away my self-respect. I thought you were the one person that would never do that and you did. It took me a while to get myself together and sometimes I still question myself, but I forgave you so I could move on and so could you._

_We have both betrayed each other, but bringing Jake in my life felt like the ultimate betrayal because you just wanted to keep tabs on me. In doing that you caused more harm that good. I know that you think that I am talking about emotional, but I am about to share some things with you for full disclosure and I need you to promise me that you will stay in this room because it is now being handled and I will clue you in. He looks wary but nods his head. When you came to the hospital and I told you that someone broke into my apartment and that was how I was hurt, well that was not true. I was really upset on the night that you did the interview with Mellie. I really thought maybe you guys had worked it out so I went over to Jake's house for comfort. We ended up sleeping together. I woke up in the middle of the night to get something to drink and watch the news, and when I turned on the TV. Cameras showing my apartment came up. When I tried to get away from him he pushed me and knocked me out. He told me that I had to keep my mouth shut or something could happen to you._ All I heard was sobs. I try to touch him, but he would not let me. He kept his head down and I barely heard continue. _A couple months later when I was working to shut down B-613 Huck and I determined that the files I needed only Command would have and that was Jake so I slept with him again to get the files. When he found out he puts him hands around my throat, and had a gun to my head._ Fitz jumped up and ran to the bathroom and I could hear dinner coming up.

I sat there thinking was I doing the right thing. He came out calm and said I could continue. I was surprised that he did not say anything but decided to continue._ I felt like you had brought him into my life so I could not get rid of him. By this time I thought very little of myself and thought that if I can not have you then I would settle because I deserved to live a miserable life. When you yelled at me asking to speak to your wife that day in the White House I realized I was getting everything that I deserved so when Gerry died and I realized that my mom had caused you to lose your son I could no longer take it. I informed OPA I was leaving. Jake asked to leave with me so that we could stand in the sun together. I originally agreed. I was going to go away to a place that no one would even think people lived there. However when I was on the plane your face kept coming up and I knew that I could never do that. I also knew right now I was not in shape to stick around so I kicked Jake off the plane, called OPA to make arrangement for them to take the case over and instructions on how to keep things going until I could return, called to have you brought here so we could talk and you know that I was not walking out on you, and made arrangements to move here to Vermont short term._

I love you. I am in love with you. You are the love of my life. I am tired of fighting. I want peace and happiness in my life. I hope that one day it will be with you. However in order for that to even be a possibility I need to get my life in order. I also need to give you time to get yours in order. I no longer want to hide in the shadows and I know that it will be awhile before that can happen so if you will still have me I will wait for as long as it takes because I now know that I can never do any better than you. I am sorry for all the heartache and the pain that I have caused you. It was never my intentions to cause you and your family harm. I know that I am the reason that you now have lost Gerry. I understand if it is too much and you think that we need to move on apart, but I had to at least talk to you and put everything on the table to so that we did not have any regrets.

Fitz sits on the other end of the couch stunned, and he says **_I need a minute and walks away_**. Olivia breaks down thinking that she has pushed him too far, but before Fitz turns the corner he **_says I am not walking away from you I just need a minute to compose myself from the Jake situation and then we can continue._** She nods her head and continues to cry. While she is really concerned about Fitz and what his response is going to be to her she is also at peace because for once in her life she did not run away. She is staying and dealing with the issues the say way that she would do in her professional life. She was so deep in thought that she did not realize that Fitz had come back in. When he sat back down she looked up and noticed that his eyes were really red, and in that moment she knew that he had been crying and did not want to do it in front of her which caused her to break down all over again. He reached out to her and pulled her in his lap and held her. When she calmed down he said **_we are going to be fine_**. Let's finish talking so we can be done with this and move on. Olivia was not sure what he meant but she nodded and returned back to her seat.

After she gets comfortable Fitz begins to speak. _When Gerry died everything for me in that moment stopped. I did not think that I had anything else to live for. I kept asking for you and nobody could reach you. Time seem to stop again because I thought that I was experiencing death all over again. However it also brought me some comfort that you were gone. I know that sounds crazy, but I was okay that you left because I knew that it was all my fault that you left and if you were happy then no matter how much it killed me I was not going to mess up your life any more than I already had._

_When you walked into my life that day on the trail I was not prepared. Up until that point I had never lived my life. Everything I had done was out of expectation. I never knew what it was like to feel something just for myself, but I did when you were around. I felt that way because you were the only one who came at me to make me better for me and no one else. In return each day I wanted to be better not only for me but now for you and the children. Each day I began to realize the mistake that I had made for not waiting for you. I am so head over heels in love with you that I lost sight on what was good for the both of us and I got selfish. I wanted you come hell or high water._

_When Verna told me about the election rigging all I could think about was that you did not believe in me. I knew the others did not believe in me other than they needed me to be President so they could gain their titles and money in their pockets. I knew that was never you so for the life of me that I could never understand why you would go through with it. Why you would let them take your morals and values away? It never occurred to me until much later and the damaged had been done was that you did it because you loved me and you needed for me to be happy even if you were not. I realized that much later when I thought about why I had killed Verna. By that time the damaged was done._

_I have always said that I would give it up for you, and when you backed out it really made me question if you loved me or not. I am not going to lie and say that it still does not come to my mind from time to time considering until recently you never said it back but I now understand that I have to start doing things for me, and in return it will carry on into our relationship. I can not have the burden on you on how to lead my life. I was wrong for putting all of that on your plate and for that I am sorry._

_I know that I brought Jake into our lives for all the wrong reasons and it seems that I am going to have to live with that for the rest of my life, but I still can not understand how you think that you are better off with a man that will put his hands on you than to fight for a man that loves you. I am not blaming you for anything that he did, but I just need you to know that you are worth so much more than that even if it is not me that you end up being with. I know that I have not always shown that in the right way, but I have never laid a hand on you because you are worth more than that. It makes me question why you threw him in my face as your decision for him to be your fake boyfriend. It was almost like you both were taunting me and there was nothing that I could do but sit back and watch because I was in that sham of a marriage to Mellie._

_While I can accept my blame for the problems in our relationship the one thing that has always hurt is that you would make plans with me, but go to others to make the final decision. We make a plan for me to step down but when the tape came in you went to Mellie for her to make a baby. I can not say if I would have been reasonable in doing what you asked but I was never given that choice. You always took that from me and Mellie and Cyrus got a say in how we handled us. I can not do that anymore._

_When I was on Marine One coming here before I knew that I was coming to see you I kept thinking it would not be such a bad thing if we crashed. I lost my son, I lost you, and I was now stuck in that prison for another four years. Then I thought that would not be what you expected of me. I also realized that I still had two surviving children that needed a real parent to guide them. When I spoke with Karen before I left she asked about us_. Olivia just looked at him in shock. _She had an idea of how we felt for each other. It seems that you have been keeping in contact with my children to help keep them sane and know that I still loved them. I owe you because without those calls that you somehow recorded they knew that I thought of them often and I feel at peace that Gerry died knowing that. I never knew that Mellie was keeping them from me and that they called more often than I thought. They would always tell me with their busy schedules and my busy schedules that it was just hard to hook up. I did not know that she was not letting them speak with me. Karen told me how much they loved you and that she wanted us to work it out. I seen the pictures downstairs. I know that you loved them to the moon and back and Gerry died knowing that his mother figure loved him to the moon and back too._

_I am only going to say this one. In no way do I blame you for the death of Gerry. If it were not for you I am not sure if I would feel like he died in peace. I love you. I am in love with you and I want us to work on us being together long term. We are in our home and I want to come home and spend time as a family over the next four years before we move here full time. When you left I thought that you were leaving me. You had waited for me all this time and you were tired of waiting. I was never mad at you for making that decision. It allowed me to step up make some decisions as well before I traveled here tonight. Olivia looked up not sure what he was talking about._

_Before I left I made funeral arrangements for a private burial in Santa Barbara. I won the election off of my son's death, I will not make a scene of his final resting place. In addition to that I informed Mellie that I was filing for a divorce_. Olivia mouth dropped but nothing would come out. _I informed her that she would remain in California and when I return OPA would be sending out a release stating that she is staying behind to grieve longer. After a month a statement will be put out stating that we were unable to stay married. All of the terms of the pre-nup will be carried out. I informed her that I would not give her any additional money for the affair that we had because I know that after she was raped by my dad she decided to continue to sleep with him in return for payment of ten million each for each child. She will only get twenty million because Teddy is not mine but Hal's son. If you are asking how I know let's just say I have been keeping tabs on Mellie for quite sometime because I knew when I was ready to end this marriage she would think that she had me over a barrel when it was really her. I did decide to give her the home in Malibu so she could have somewhere to live and we keep the ranch since that was my families property. I have already discussed this with Karen, Cyrus, Tom, and OPA so everyone is up to speed now that you know._

_I want to be with you. You are the love of my life. I am divorcing Mellie for me and my children. We can not live like this. Karen is moving into the White House and is excited and she is hoping that you will be around. She needs you. I can not and will not force you to be with me this time. The choice is yours. Just know that I want you and only you. I am sorry for the mistakes and the pain I caused. I know that it will take time for all of the wounds to heal, but I am hoping that we can do it together.._

Olivia sat there stunned because everything was laid out on the table and she was still not prepared for everything that she heard. She knew that he was waiting for her to say something and every time she opened her mouth nothing came out. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She climbed in his lap and just looked at him while tears continued to pour out. For the first time in her life. She felt safe. She felt like everything was going to be okay. It might not be tomorrow but the day would come. She looked up at him and said, **_"We are in this together"._**Fitz nods his head with tears in his eyes and says, **_"Yes we are in this together"._** They sat there and held each other and cried.

After a while Olivia says I spoke to my dad before I came here. I**_ gave him the choice to continue to fight our relationship or accept it and he can be in our lives. He accepted it and I believe him_**. Fitz nodded, I **_have Abby vetting a therapist for me and Karen to see. I need us to be better emotionally and while you are here I think that you should see someone too. I can arrange for them to come to you_**. She thought about it and nodded. I want us to be happy and healthy. Fitz said , "One more thing. I_ know that you do not want to be around Mellie and I respect that but I am asking that you come to California with me and bury Gerry. It is what he would want. It is what Karen and I need. I will make sure that Mellie stays in her lane_. Olivia thought about it a moment and agreed. Olivia was not afraid of Mellie by any means. She allowed Mellie to say and do the things she did because she was the mistress, but those days were gone. Fitz was her man and from now on she was going to stand up for him and not against him. She knew that she would never forgive herself if she did not say good-bye to him. Also it was private so that made her feel even more comfortable.

They continue to sit there in each other's arm when Fitz asked how long she planned to stay here and she says **_I am not sure_**. Abby is handling everything and I am going to get a cell phone where you guys can reach me if needed. I just need to take a break. So much happen in so little time and I need to get my head around it. I want to come back better not only for me but for my team and now you, Teddy, and Karen so I don't want to rush it. Like you said you guys can always come out here for a couple of days and tell the press you are at Camp David. You did have this area as a No Fly Zone so we will all be safe until we are ready to release to the press we are dating. I would like to date you in private before we date in public since we will never get a moment to ourselves if that is okay. I don't want to deny us after the divorce but while OPA is handling that I just want you to court me. We have never done that. Fitz smiles and says,**_ I can do that"._**

She looks him in the eye and realizes for the first time in a long time she can just breathe. As they take each other in they begin to kiss. What start out as simple pecks was now a full blown make out session. Olivia pulled back. Fitz put his head down thinking he had taken it too far until he heard her whisper, **_"Take me to our bedroom and make love to me Fitz."_**

A/N: So everything is laid on the line. Next up they spend some quality time with each other before heading out to bury Gerry and Mellie and Olivia will have a shown down for the ages. So who do you think will win. Let me know what your thoughts are so I can continue to try and make the story better.


	4. Chapter 4-Reconnecting

Fitz picked Olivia up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The whole time they were making their way into their bedroom their eyes never left each other. When they got in the bedroom Fitz laid her down on the bed and just stared at her. He could not believe he was about to make love to her in their home. Olivia looked at him knowing that she was going to have to hold on for dear life. She just prayed she could handle all that Fitz was about to give her.

To her surprise he leaned in and started placing gentle kisses all over her face and small pecks on her lips. He then started licking her lips and she started doing the same to him and before they knew it they were having a full blown make out session. Olivia no longer could tell where her tongue ended and his began. He lifted his head up and pulled her shirt off and started to kiss that spot right below her ear that sent her wild. Fitz was still not rushing anything and it was driving Olivia wild. She could not stand it. Before she could say anything Fitz said,**_ "No more stolen moments, we are at home and we are going to make love like it. _**She looked up and simply nodded.

He looked at their bodies and as he took her harden nipples in his mouth he was determined that she would never feel like the other woman ever again.

Olivia moaned, **_Oh Fitz that feels good please don't stop_**. While he was giving her breast attention he opened her legs and slid a finger in. Olivia arched her back. He was slowly killing her and she was loving every minute of it.

Fitz says, "**_Livvie are you wet for me?"_** Her brain was mush and nothing in her head was coming out of her mouth. Fitz then adds another finger and started playing with her clit like it was a piano. He says**_ Livvie I never got an answer to my question. Are you wet for me?_** This time she nods her head. This was not good enough for him so he slides down her body adds another finger and then starts licking her clit up and down causing Liv to scream out in pleasure. Fitz says, **_Livvie is this all for me?_** With the last big of composure that she had left she says, **_Only for you Fitz from now to forever._**

When he heard that he started eating her like it was his last meal.

Liv was moaning _Oh Fitz yes baby take it, it is all yours. Nobody will ever eat this pussy again._ Liv was riding his fingers and tongue like it was a horse...

_Oh Livvie you taste so good_. _Oh baby ride my fingers._ I know you want to cum. Cum for me Livvie I am right here. _Come on I know you want to cum. Cum for daddy, Cum for your man, Cum for your future husband_. Liv heard that and the orgasm that she felt coming took over and for a moment she forgot where she was

They had made love plenty of times but this was different. Both of them knew that after today nothing would ever be the same again, but not in a bad way.

Fitz climbed back up and stuck his tongue in her mouth. As she tasted herself she felt her arousal come back all over again. She needed to feel Fitz in her now. Liv started pleading _Fitz I need you_. I need you inside of me now. Please Please before she could say please again in one thrust he was fully inside her filling her to the brim.

She forgot how big Fitz was but he hadn't and looked her and said, **_"One Minute"._**She said, **_"One Minute"._** They just looked at each other and realized that they were about to make love with no secrets, they were about to step into new territory and neither one of them was afraid even though there was still dark days ahead.

Fitz began to move slowly at first to make sure that she was comfortable.

_Oh Fitz that feels so good. Don't stop baby please. It feels so good. Oh Fitz, Harder, Deeper, please._

Fitz lifted her legs and put them over his shoulders and started to thrust into her hard and deep.

_Livvie you feel so good. I miss you. Oh Liv_

_Fitz Oh God I am going to cum Fitz. Oh God_

_Cum for me Livvie. I know you want to._ He thrust harder and deeper. Oh Fitz was the last thing she said before she had her second orgasm that night.

She looked down and seen that Fitz was still hard and that smirk on his face told her what he wanted. She turned around and went on all fours and said to Fitz, **_Fuck the shit out of me and remind me I only belong to you_**

Fitz looked down and said I can do that but hold onto your headboard because this is about to be a wild ride

He smacked her ass and she yelped. She liked it and said do it again. He smacked her again and kissed her butt cheeks to sooth the pain. The last time that he smacked her ass he thrust into her at the same time and she yelled**_ Shit_**

Fitz was pounding into her with reckless abandon. Every time he thrust into her Liv met him thrust for thrust. She thought that she felt him in her stomach at one point but she was so far gone to care. This was the best pleasure pain that she had ever felt.

Liv knew she was about to cum again and Fitz said let go Livvie. Cum for me. I got you and she did just that.

Fitz laid on the bed and said **_Ride Me_**. Liv did not think that she could handle anymore but she was never one to back down from a challenge so she turned around to face him and she slid down on his dick.

She used his chest to hold her up and she forgot she was tired and started fucking him. She looked at him and for the first time felt like she was making love to her man, and that sent her to a place that even in the moment she could not describe, but as they stared each other in the eye they started to ride each other with reckless abandon. Neither ready to give in. They wanted more. They never wanted the moment to end not because there would never be another but because this was almost like them making love for the first time. They both knew that they now belonged to each other and that thrilled them both.

All you could hear was moans and screams of Oh Yes, Right there, harder, faster. Neither one willing to give in. Fitz looked up and her and said**_ take me with you_**. He needed her to know they were in this together. He gave her control in that moment and it excited her. She leaned back and started riding Fitz like a stallion and a couple of thrusts later both of them went over and Liv could feel Fitz filling her up.

She just dropped her head on his chest and he leaned back pulling the sheet over then. Neither knew how long it took to get their bearings back. When they did Fitz said that was, Man I have no words. Liv said yeah I think speechless is not even suffice to what just happened. She looked up at Fitz with tears in her eyes and said, _God I know now why woman can't wait to get home to their man and their family after a hard days work. I can imagine us doing this, well I am not sure we can top this but just making love after a hard days work or just because we want to. I now see our future and it is going to be great._

Fitz says, _yes it is going to be great_. Both of them were too wound up to go to sleep so they lay looking out at the full moon through the sky light. Fitz asked Olivia if she would you like to take a bath. She shook her head yes. She was about to get up but he says, _no I will come get you_. I will take care of getting everything set up. He was in the bathroom before she could say anything else

While Fitz was in the bathroom drawing a bath she lay there thinking about all of the decisions that she has made over the years. She knew that she was never happy, but she figured that in life everyone does not get to be happy. At least in her job she could try to take the worst day of someone's life and make it better and that was her happy. Then Fitz came in the picture and he showed her that she was entitled to be happy and loved like everyone else in the world. She looked up and said a silent prayer of thanks that she had made the decision to not just up and leave without talking to her team, Cyrus, and especially Fitz. Now she knows that she had a future and had she left she shutters to think that she could have all thrown it away. This time she was really happy that Fitz was divorcing Mellie, and not just because she would no longer have to hide in the shadows, He was doing it for himself first and foremost and that is what she always wanted. She knew that being with him would mean becoming a mother figure immediately in addition to other things, but she was okay with that. She loved those kids like they were own.

She was so deep in thought that she never heard Fitz come back in the room.

_Livvie, Livvie are you okay_. She looked up at him, smiled and said, **_Perfect_**

He picked her up bridal style and carried her into the bathroom. The lights had been dimmed down. She did not realize the lights would do that and she was thrilled. He had put candles around the Jacuzzi tub. It was so romantic and immediately she relaxed as he placed her in the tub and he climbed in behind her. She leaned back onto him, and let a breath go that she did not even know that she was holding. Fitz asked her what she was thinking about when he came out to get her. She thought about it and decided to say what was on her mind. No more secrets. No more thinking that he should only hear certain things.

She began: _I can not believe that I am in my home with the man that I am head over heels in love with. I can not believe that it may not have happened and the only reason that we are here now instead of later or never is because one of my parents took your son away. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. The saddest part in all of this is that I feel a sense of peace laying here with you and a pain that I can not describe because we will never be able to touch Gerry ever again._

The more she thought about everything that happened she began to sob and her sob turned into screams. Fitz just held her and let her cry. He knew she needed this time to grieve for all the changes that were taking place, the lost of Gerry, the lost of her parents, the lost of not knowing what tomorrow would bring because in Olivia Pope's world that does not happen.

She was unsure of how long she cried but she was tired when it was over but appreciated that Fitz allowed her that time. He said nothing. He let her feel her emotions. When she calmed down he still did not say a word but bathed her from head to toe like she was fine china.

After he washed himself off he picked her up and wrapped her in a warm towel, dried her off, took her lotion and massaged her from head to toe. He grabbed one of his Navy shirts for her and some pajama bottoms for him. Once they were dressed they climbed in the bed and she lay as close to him as possible she whispered **_I'm sorry_**.

He looked at her confused. She said, _I have no right to cry on your arms right now when you have to bury your son because of my family._

Fitz said, I am only going to say this once and we are never going to go back there again. _Children can not help who there parents are. You did not choose for your parents to be killers, terrorist, and people with no soul. You are nothing like them. If you were I would want nothing to do with you and I would have never allowed my kids anywhere near you. I am sad and hurt that I lost my son, but when I look at you I feel nothing but love because without you his last years would not have been as good as they were. Mellie nor I can take credit for Karen and Gerry happiness these last couple of years. Only you can. No matter how busy I was I should have made more time for them. I should have known what Mellie was doing. I should have never let Mellie send them away. So never again speak down of yourself like that. Be proud of the woman that you are because I am._

Olivia nodded. She said,**_ I did not mean to ruin such a romantic evening_**. Fitz looked down at her and said, **_Who said it was ruined and began to kiss her with so much passion it took her breathe away._**

They broke away and she put her head over his heart and after a few seconds they began to breathe in sync. She was not sure how long it took, but at some point she fell asleep.

Fitz lay there and watched her sleep. He was tired but he could not get his mind to turn off. He knew that tomorrow night that they would be flying to California. He never thought he would have to prepare to bury his son, but that was the case. He had a feeling that Mellie was going to show out and he was not sure if Olivia could handle that right now. He could only pray she would remember why they were all coming together. He looked down at Olivia and seen her smiling. He wondered what she was dreaming about...

Olivia had not had a good night's sleep in so long. Laying in Fitz's arm had made her feel safe and she had fallen asleep listening to his heart beat. At some point Olivia had a dream. At some point Gerry showed up to their house and knocked and she answered the door. Gerry had on an all white suit. When she answered the door she just looked at Gerry, and she finally said** I thought you were gone. He said I am, you are dreaming. You rarely sleep through the night unless you are with Dad so I thought I would take advantage of it and visit you.**

**I just wanted to let you know that I am okay. It kind of sucks that I did not get more time to actually be a real family with you, Dad, Teddy, and Karen but I get to watch and see it all come together. I need you to be happy Liv. I need you to be selfish and start doing things and making decisions that make you happy. If you don't then my death is for nothing. You can not let your parents win. You can not let Mellie win. Dad is tired and he needs someone there for him, and not just there for what he can do for them. Other than his kids you are the only one that can do that. I love you. Mellie was my mother but you are my mom. Dad is right. You showed me that life is great and fun. Without you I may have considered suicide before I was murdered. I have to go but hopefully when you and Dad get together you will rest more and we can check in with each other. Love you Mom and he walked away**

A/N-So they connected in a way that only they can. Emotionally they connected. Next up they head to California for the funeral. Mellie has something to say about Olivia being there. Do you think any fireworks will take place? Let me know. Please send me reviews so I know what is on everyone's mind


	5. Chapter 5-The Next Morning

**A/N-Thank you for the views. Most have been about the way the story is written. I will continue to make changes to the format to make it easier. Sorry for any grammar errors. Very few reviews are about the story so I assume that everyone likes it. I will say that there were some comments in a review that helped me decide which direction I was going to take as I could not decide. Finally I do not own any of the Scandal Characters.**

Olivia and Fitz slept through the night. It was the best sleep that either one of them had in a long time. Fitz woke up and Olivia was almost on top of him. As she began to stir her backside kept rubbing his cock. Before he knew it he was hard as a rock.

He started grinding against her and slid a finger in her clit to see if she was ready for him. Olivia began to ride his finger so he added another one. She was on the verge of reaching her orgasm when Fitz pulled his fingers out. Before she could say anything she felt his cock filling her to the brim.

Olivia never knew that she could receive so much pleasure from a man

Fitz lifted her leg and slid in deeper which caused Olivia to moan words that he did not understand.

Olivia met Fitz thrust for thrust moaning,**_ "Oh God Fitz right there that feels so good baby"_**

Fitz responded by thrusting into her harder and deeper saying, _**"Daddy got you. Can anybody give it to you better?"**_

**_Oh fuck Fitz that feels so good. Harder Fitz Deeper Please_**

Fitz flipped Olivia over and she was now on all fours with her ass in the air

Fitz slid back into her and started pounding her like there was no tomorrow

**_Yeah Yeah right there baby. It feels so good Fitz._**

**_I am almost there Fitz Harder baby harder_**

Fitz leaned over her and began pounding into her like he was trying to make her disappear.

**_Oh Fitz I am about to Cum. I am so close Fitz_**

_**Cum for me Livvie. I got you. Cum for me Livvie. Take me with you!**_

Two more thrusts later they both went over and Olivia felt Fitz emptying in her.

They laid there trying to catch there breath

After a few minutes Olivia turned to Fitz and said,_ "Good Morning"_

_Good morning Sweet Baby how did you sleep?_

Olivia paused and said I slept really well. _I slept well enough for Gerry to come and see me in a dream._ She paused and looked to see if she should continue.

Fitz looked at her and asked, _"What did he say?"_ While she recalled everything that Gerry said to her she did not want to tell Fitz right now, because she felt like she needed to deal with some things on her own and maybe at a later time she would tell him everything.

Olivia said, _"He just wanted to let me know that he was okay where he was and that he was okay with us moving on with our life and that includes us being together"_

She looked up and seen tears coming from Fitz eyes. Olivia immediately apologized and attempted to get off of the bed upset that she was causing Fitz more pain that he needed.

Fitz stopped her and said_ "I am fine."_ _I am just crying because it is so like Gerry to make sure that we know that he is okay and that he is okay with us. I am crying because I hate that he did not get a chance to be with us as we move forward in our lives, but I am glad to know that he will be watching from above. I am also glad that he let you know that he loves you because I think that was the whole point of him showing up in your dream. He needed to be the one to help you move forward. I know that I am not able to do that"_

_Fitz you can and are helping me move forward. I am sorry that I have always held you close but far away at the same time. I have never really had any relationships that were about giving and taking. It was always about taking and when they were done with me they moved on. I am learning how to love and trust. I know that it will take some time but I will get there Fitz. I need you. I no longer want to do this life without you. I love you. I am in love with you. I will never take that for granted again._

Fitz smiled at Olivia and said, "_I love you too. We will be okay_. We will learn to depend on each other. From now on no more running. No more tearing each other down. We are in this together.

Olivia nodded and agreed, _" We are in this together"_

They got up and went downstairs as Sally was finishing up breakfast for them. Olivia fixed their plates and they decided to sit at the island to eat.

Olivia asked, _"When do we leave for California?"_

We leave tonight at 7:00. Abby was making all of the arrangements for us. We will be staying at the ranch with Karen and Mellie will be staying in her home that I gave her in the divorce. The memorial and burial will be private. There will be no cameras and only close friends and family. Abby was going to fax over the details for us to review and we can make any changes.

Before I left I picked his casket that I wanted him to be buried in. Abby was going to confirm that it was available. Karen picked his favorite suit which was one that you had bought him for his birthday last year that he loved because it was similar to one that he seen me in. I can not believe that you were doing all of this for my kids. I am not upset. Well I am upset with myself for not being there more, but grateful that you stepped in and became the parent that they needed. I did not want a long drawn out service. Gerry would have hated that so each person is limited to five minutes. Karen and I are going to stay for another day after the services are complete. I thought that Karen could use a day with you after this is all over before we head back and try and get on with our lives.

Olivia nodded and said _"Everything sounds good. Let's go to the office and see what Abby has set up and we can go from there"_

As Olivia was cleaning up the kitchen Fitz turned around and asked, _"Can you tell me where you are going once we leave the ranch? I know that you need time for you and I respect that but I would feel better if at least I knew where you were. I promise I will not be a pest."_

Fitz was rambling and it was cute but Olivia could not take it anymore. She walked over to him and laid the most gentle kiss he has ever been given on his lips which caused him to stop speaking.

He looked down at her and she said, "_I am coming back home. I am coming back to Vermont. You can call me whenever. I would like to talk to you at least once a day when possible. I do need the time away to get myself together ,but it does not mean that I have to be cut off from you or Karen. I am even making myself available to my team when necessary. I want them to do things on their own so they can continue to handle cases when I am unable to be there full time. We can talk on the phone. I would even like it if we could Face time some. I need to be clear. I am not and I will never walk away from you again. We both need time to get ourselves together separately and then we will form a plan for us to be together. I am even willing to be First Lady."_

Fitz took a step back so he could look at Olivia. He needed to see if she was joking. It was always something that Fitz wanted but he knew that Olivia had no interest so he eventually gave up on the idea. Now she was the one to bring it up. He did not know what to say.

Olivia had never seen Fitz this quiet before. She was not sure how to take his reaction. As she looked him in the eyes she realized that he was not sure if she was being serious. She had always told him that she had no interest in being the First Lady. It was in that moment that Olivia realized that he had thought that dream would never come to pass. She was hurt that he thought that and she was angry at herself for making him think they could never have anything he ever dreamed about.

She walked up to Fitz and put both of her hands on each side of his face. She kissed him softly before she spoke._ "I am sorry that I have made you feel like we could never be especially in the White House. You are about to start a new term. There is no way that I am going to watch from the outside. We are in this together. We are going to make your dream come true in time. Give it a year at most and we will be together in our temporary home before we come back here full time."_

Fitz just leaned into Olivia and began to sob. He did not know why that was his reaction but it was. Olivia just held him and kept whispering to him that she was there and was not going anywhere. For some reason that made him cry more because he could tell for the first time that she was serious. He could feel it in his bones that his life was going to be better. Maybe not tomorrow or a week or even a month from now but they would be okay.

When Fitz calmed down she took his hand and they walked to their offices. They each had a separate office but there was a glass divider that allowed the office space to be open for them to be together. There was nothing to be said. Abby had sent over the fax. It confirmed that the casket that he wanted was available. The suit that he wanted Gerry to be buried in had been sent to the funeral home. They had provided them with an outline of the service and completed the obituary for the paper and the service. It was sent on a separate email for review. Also the funeral home had received the mock drawings of how he wanted the headstone to look and they could approve it once they went to the funeral home. The only thing left was the flowers. Abby stated they reached out to Mellie who thought red roses would look appropriate. That made Fitz mad because once again it was about what looked good and not what Gerry would have liked. It was sad really that Mellie did not know about what her children really liked. She only cared about what the public wanted. Olivia emailed Abby back approving everything, but changed the flowers to yellow and white lilies which were the only flowers that Gerry liked.

Fitz was exhausted just thinking about having to bury his son. He could not believe that this was about to happen, but this was life and no one ever said that everything in life is fair. He did not realize that he had fallen asleep on the couch in his office.

When he woke up he noticed that Olivia was looking at the pictures of headstones that they were considering to choose for Gerry. He heard Olivia whispering, _"Gerry, it is mom. I promise you that daddy and I are going to do right by you. We will not let Mellie get out of hand. I got you the flowers that you like. I remember when we first say them on the campaign trail and you use to say that was going to be my bouquet when we get married. Since you are gone I guess I will have to go ahead and marry your daddy. He is a good second option. When daddy and I get married I promise that I will have that as my bouquet in honor of you. Daddy is taking good care of me. We are going to be okay. I promise to try and start sleeping more so you can visit me and let me know how you are and you can see that Daddy, KareBear and I are doing okay. Always remember that I love you to the moon and back."_

Fitz stood up and walked over to her. He put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and she just started crying. He picked her up and brought her over to the couch and let her cry. He told her that she needed to mourn too and to let it out. He was there for her.

She was crying and saying to Fitz I am sorry. I know that you need me to be there for you. He was after all your son.

Fitz looked at her and said and he was your son. Anybody can have a child and be a mother or a father. It is the emotions and the time invested in the child that makes you their mom and dad. So like you told Gerry mom and dad miss him, but we will eventually be okay. I am okay with the fact that Gerry considered you his mom. I know that he told you that because otherwise you would not have spoken it. Olivia looked up at him surprised. You get to live with the fact that you made his last years special. I get to live with the fact that I made his earlier years special, and at least I was smart enough to bring in a woman who would love him and take care of him like he was hers.

They were both crying now. They just held each other. Fitz spoke and said I think that we should plant some lilies out here in honor of Gerry. I was thinking maybe we get a tree that will grow nice and big and plant the flowers around it. Later on we can add a plaque to it. That way we can always have a piece of him at our home. She smiled and said,_ " I would like that"_

Olivia and Fitz knew that the helicopter would be arriving in a couple hours to pick them up. They ordered a pizza for lunch and afterwards they headed upstairs to pack and get ready. Olivia had not packed a lot of clothes and knew that she would have to make arrangements to get her clothes shipped here, but she had enough to get through the trip and if she needed anything she would just buy it. She went into her closet for the first time and was in shock at what she saw.

Fitz had purchased her a whole new wardrobe. He had also thought of shoes, underwear, bras, sleepwear. It was clothes that she would have purchased for herself and she could tell there was some pieces in there that he wanted to see her in. She looked at the He sizes and noticed they were the right size. He had called in Erin Walsh who was a stylist for Kerry Washington. Liv reminded him sometimes of Kerry and since they had a similar build he knew Erin could help without Olivia knowing. He had also sent her pictures of Olivia to see her style and asked her to add some spicy pieces for fun when she was not working.

When she turned around Fitz was standing at the door smiling at her.

What do you think?

I think that for a man you have excellent taste and you really pay attention to me. I can not believe that you did this for me.

There is nothing that I would not do for you.

Ditto

She noticed in the corner that he had also purchased her a new 10 piece luggage set in her favorite color. Although Olivia wore a lot of neutral colors Fitz was one of the few people who knew that purple was her favorite color.

She decided to use some of her new luggage and began to pack. After they were both packed they took a shower together. What started out as a simple kiss turned into a passionate love making session that left them feeling lighter than ever.

By the time they were dressed and downstairs the helicopter was waiting for them. They took a breath and boarded knowing they had to go and bury their son.

**A/N-Thank you again for your comments and reviews. I attempt to take everything that everyone post in consideration. Next up is a show down that I do not think you are expecting and the funeral of Gerry. Please continue to leave me reviews. They matter to me.**


	6. Chapter 6-Arrival in California

**A/N-Thank you for the reviews. Please keep them coming. Sorry for any grammar errors. Remember these characters do not belong to me but to Shonda Land. The next couple of chapters will be longer so that you can see the emotions of everything that is going to take place.**

Mellie, Karen, Teddy, and their nanny Marta arrived in California. Secret Services went to the Malibu home first and once a sweep was complete they informed Mellie that she could go in. Mellie turned to Karen and asked, _"Honey come on in and I will get us something to eat. I know that your dad will not be arriving until later this evening."_

Karen informed Mellie that she did not want to come in and wanted to go to the ranch and spend time in her own room. She missed being home. Mellie was not happy, but knew now was not the time to make Karen an enemy. She needed to stay on her daughter's good side.

Unbeknownst to Mellie Karen had long ago left Mellie's side when she realized all the lies that her mother had told them. Karen and Gerry had found out several years ago that Mellie was keeping them from their dad. They would later realize that she was hoping that it would turn them against Fitz. Olivia had made sure that never took place.

Mellie had gotten sloppy with her affair in the last couple of years and one week when they were home from break Karen was walking down the hall when she heard a scream. She ran towards the door thinking that someone was hurt. As she got closer to the door she heard moans. When she looked inside the room she seen her mother on top of Andrew. She quickly left before they seen her. To this day no one including Olivia knew about the affair that her mother was having with Andrew. At least in her mind no one knew.

Mellie tried to give Mellie a hug but she turned her shoulder. Mellie became upset and she was no longer able to hold her tongue.

Mellie looked at Karen, "_ Karen Elizabeth Grant you do good to remember to mind your manner. Do not ever forget that I am you mother. I am the one that has taken care of you while your father was out busy being more worried about his job than his own children;"_

Karen responded,_ "You are as crazy as I always thought you were. You thought that we would never find out that you were not telling Daddy that we called. You thought that we would never figure out that it was you that was canceling trips home to the White House saying that Dad was too busy for us. Mother we know that it was you. Please do not waste the good breath that God gave you and say that it was not you. Everything is always about you and making you look good. I think that you always knew that the day would come when dad was done with this sham of a marriage and you wanted us to take your side. You thought that if we were mad with dad and we thought that he did not want us that you would get us. It would look good from a political standpoint. It was also a way to stick it to dad and get more money out of him. Well your plan did not work. You are right you are my mother. You had me and nothing more. You are not invested in me. You do not know what my favorite color is, my favorite movie, when I got my period, who my first crush was. The reason why is because you did not care. You wanted the perfect American family for the sake of optics. You got that and now it is okay, but never pretend that you love me like a mom should."_

Mellie was shocked and had no clue how she figured so much out and that was scary. Mellie not one to back down said,_ "You have no idea what you are talking about. You are just a child."_

Karen looked at her and said _"Still talking out the side of your neck mother._ You never know when you quit. Since you feel that I do not know what I am talking about when dad arrives tonight why don't we all sit down and talk"

Mellie thinking that this was her way to get an upper hand and maybe even find a way to get Fitz to reconsider the divorce nodded her head. She stepped out the car already thinking of what to say to Fitz.

Daniel had heard everything that had taken place. Once they got to the ranch and did a sweep Daniel helped to get the bags in and made sure that Karen, Marta, and Teddy were settled before he went out to the guest house to place a call.

Daniel called Tom and informed him of what had taken place between Karen and Mellie. Tom put Daniel on speakerphone and asked Daniel to repeat what he had told him. Fitz was so angry that he was seeing red. Mellie just never knew when to quit but she was going to regret the day that she decided to play with his children's emotions. It was almost a six hour flight from Vermont to California. With the change in time zone it was going to be 9:30 maybe even a little later when they arrived. Fitz informed Daniel to notify Mellie that she was requested for breakfast at 10:00 the next morning. He wanted to allow Olivia and himself time to recover from the long flight

Fitz immediately took out his phone and called Karen. She answered, _"HI daddy where are you?_

Fitz informed Karen that he was on Marine One on the way to her now but would not arrive for a couple more hours.

Karen asked, _"Daniel called you and told you about me and Mom didn't he?"_

Fitz informed her that he had. _"Please do not give Daniel a hard time. He was worried about you after the way that your mom spoke to you."_

Mellie is my mother. She is not my mom. That would be Olivia. As I told mother she knows nothing about me. She is my mother because she had me but she had no vested interest in me other than being part of the perfect American family. I am sorry if I was disrespectful. I know that is not what you or Olivia would expect of me. I will apologize when we sit down for dinner tonight.

Fitz stated;_ " Honey I will not be in till close to ten. I do not want you to wait that long to eat. I had Daniel to schedule breakfast tomorrow at ten so we could recover from the flight. Also we can go over the final arrangements for Gerry's service. If you feel like you were disrespectful then I do want you to apologize because I have always raised you to respect authority."_

_Dad I miss Gerry so much. This is so hard to handle without him here. He was always the calm one. He always had my back. Sometimes I feel like I can't put one foot in front of the other. I know that we have to. I know I now need to be to Teddy what Gerry was for me. I have to protect him. I just am not sure if I am as strong as Gerry was to do it. I really miss Olivia. I am worried about her because she has not answered or returned my calls. Daddy please call in a favor and make sure that she is okay. I can't take losing her too. She has always been Gerry and I mom. I know that you can not get with her immediately but dad I think that you should take a chance with Olivia._

Fitz looked over at Olivia who was silently sobbing as she was listening to Karen. She was about to inform Karen that she was there, but Fitz shook his head.

_Honey, I think that your brother would be proud of how you are handling everything. I know that you are having some issues. That is why I asked Abby to get us both a therapist to work through our issues in the coming months. When I talked with Abby she was able to get in touch with Olivia. Olivia is fine but she was having a hard time dealing with some things that she has going on on top of Gerry passing away. She did not want to speak to you until she calmed down some. She did not want to scare you. I am told that she has plans to see you real soon and that she misses you a lot. I also promise you that Olivia and I will work through things and find our way. Until that time comes know that the both of us love you more than we can express and that we will be here for you._

Karen is glad to know that Olivia is okay. She does hope to see her soon. It would really be great if she was there for the service. She quickly pushes that thought from her mind. She knows that her mother would have a field day and Olivia did not need to deal with that.

Fitz brought Karen out of her thoughts, _Honey call Daniel and get dinner for you guys. I will come up to your room as soon as we get in okay._

_"Okay daddy that is fine. I love you!"_

_"Love you too lady bug!"_

Fitz turned to Olivia who was still crying. He touched her face, _"Honey it is going to be okay. I think surprising her is what she needs right now which is why I did not tell her you were coming."_

Olivia responded, _"No I agree with you with surprising her. I am just so angry with Mellie right now. She never knows when to quit. While her jabs have hurt me I can take them. I am an adult. I knew what I was getting myself into. However her hurting the kids is just unforgivable. I need to be at that breakfast tomorrow. I know we need to stand up for those kids. I need Mellie to fall in line and step up or I will ruin her myself."_

Fitz was shocked to see the reaction coming from Olivia. He was surprised but also happy and relieved. While he never doubted the love that they have for each other he sometimes felt they were working against each other. Now they felt like a team. He knew that if they were a team that it was nothing that could tear them apart.

Fitz just smiled at her and held her. There was nothing more to be said. He had never been afraid of Mellie contrary to many beliefs. He just thought that keeping them together was the right thing to do. He was wrong but he was going to correct his errors. It was nice to feel that Olivia no longer feared Mellie. It was nice that she knew that Mellie really had no control over either one of them. They held each other deep in their own thoughts until they both drifted off to sleep.

Olivia and Fitz felt refreshed with the nap they had taken aboard Marine One. They had just pulled up to the ranch and both were eager to see the kids especially Olivia. She had not seen either of them in months. Just as the car came to a stop they could both see Karen running out. Fitz told Olivia to stay inside the car for a moment. She nodded.

Once the car stopped Fitz got out of the car before Karen could open the door and see Olivia. He ran up to her and picked her up. He knew that she was about to turn 13 but she would always be Daddy's Little Girl. He noticed that she was holding him tightly like she was afraid that he was going to disappear. They held each other for a few more moments. Fitz put her down and informed her that he had a surprise for her in the car.

Karen looked at the car curious as to what the surprise could be but remembered that he had not got his luggage out so she assumed it was in there. She had not noticed that Tom had moved back to the car and opened the door again. As she looked up she finally seen Tom opening the door instead of the trunk and before she could ask what was going on she seen Olivia climb out of the car.

Karen just looked at Olivia like she was a ghost. She wanted her to be real. She needed her to be real, but she could not imagine that Olivia would put herself through the drama that she knew that her mother was going to cause. Karen looked at her dad. He could tell in her eyes that she thought that this was a joke.

Olivia walked over to Karen and touched her face. _"Kare Bear it is me. I am really here. I am sorry for not returning your calls. I had so much going on. Then your dad and I thought you could use a surprise which is why he did not tell you that he was with me." I love you. I am sorry._

Karen still had not said anything. Olivia was beginning to think that Karen was really upset with her. Before she could say anything else Karen just folded right in front of her sobbing like there was no tomorrow. She had her arms around Olivia's leg so neither of them was able to move. Olivia bent down and began to caress her hair. She kept whispering in her ear that she loved her and that everything was going to be okay. Eventually she settled down enough for Fitz to pick her up and bring her in the house.

Once they were settled on the couch Karen just wanted to be held by Olivia. Her head was in Olivia's lap and her feet were laying across Fitz. They never spoke a word. They let her grieve. They allowed her to have her moment. It was obvious that she had been holding it in for some time.

As they lay there Karen spoke_ "Gerry and I use to dream about days like this where we would come out and be able to lay between our parents. It had nothing to do with optics. We were just a family. We knew that as long as Daddy stayed with Mellie we would never get our dream. Now I am laying here realizing that I am living out one of our dreams and he is not here with me. I am not sure whether I should be happy or sad. I know that I am a child and that this may not be my place but Teddy and I need this dream to become a reality. Not only for our well being but so that Gerry can have some piece of mind. Dad I have held a secret for quite some time and I hope that you will not be too angry with me when I tell you."_

Fitz looks at Karen and says there is nothing that you can say to me that will make me angry with you sweetheart. I want you to always be able to talk to me. I promise that in the future I will be a better job of spending time with both you and Teddy.

Karen just laid there for a moment. She was still scared to tell her dad but she knew that she needed to tell him. _"Dad, mother has been having an affair with Andrew. Before you ask how I know a couple of years ago when we were home for break I heard her scream and thought that something was wrong. As I got closer I peeked in the room and found her on top of him. I left before she could see me. I know about you and Olivia. Gerry and I figured it out some time ago. I am not mad about either affair. I am mad at mother for pretending like she is the victim and never does wrong. I am a child so I understand that your job requires you to think about the optics, but I hope that you can consider other things like our happiness as well."_

Fitz & Olivia was speechless. Fitz was really upset that Mellie was so careless in her affairs that their children had to see it. Fitz was in his own world when he heard Olivia began to speak.

Olivia_:" Karen I am so sorry that you and Gerry have had to suffer so much due to politics. I am sorry that your dad and I did not wait until he was divorced from Mellie before we began our relationship. I will however tell you that I do love your dad. I am in love with him. I have always loved you, Teddy, and Gerry like my own and will continue to do so which is why I came because you needed me and I need to say good-bye to Gerry. I know that Mellie loves you. I know that she has a funny way of showing you. All I ask is that you respect her. Do your part to make the relationship work and if it doesn't then you can at least say that you did your part. Your dad and I will always support you and take care of you. Eventually your dad and I will be public but that will take some time, but until that time comes nothing changes behind close doors. I will be there for you. I am taking some time for myself and relocating to Vermont where your dad built us a home. You are more than welcome to come anytime you want and we will still talk on the phone. Never feel like you need to hide anything from us. Optics are important but they are not everything. I will admit that I am just learning that because my job is to always care about the optics. I now have to think about my family so we will work on creating a middle ground._

Fitz spoke up and turned to Karen and Olivia,_ "I know that I have let you down. I have never stepped up and been the man that I should have been for my family. I have always been content with letting others make decisions for me even when I knew they were wrong. I am sorry that I am learning this lesson late in life. It is too late for me to do anything about it with Gerry, but I wil do better when it comes to you and Teddy. I agree with Liv. I want you to try and do your part to maintain a relationship with your mother, but if it does not work out or if becomes too much talk to us. We will protect you. Olivia and I are going to speak to Mellie tomorrow morning. I don't want you there because this is a conversation for adults, but I will send her up to you before she leaves. I also want you to know that we are going to stay an extra day so that you can spend some time with Olivia before we head back to D.C and she heads back to Vermont."_

Karen jumped up and hugged them both. She really felt like things were going to be okay for the first time in a long time. She felt like she had parents. She felt like they were invested in her and not just the optics. It was a weird but really good feeling.

Thanks Dad for everything said Karen. I love you.

Love you too Ladybug

Liv thanks for being my mom. I am not sure what you are comfortable with me calling you, but you kept Gerry and I sane. You kept us a family.

Liv looked at Karen with tears in her eyes. I love you too Kare Bear. You can call me whatever make you comfortable.

Karen nodded and went up to her room.

Fitz looked over at Liv and she could see the anger in his eyes. She knew that he was not mad at Mellie for having the affairs. She knew that he knew that she was sleeping around but to do it in the White House and for Karen to have witness it was wrong. Liv knew that she had very little time to calm him down before he started going off.

Liv reached over to Fitz and put her hands on each side of his face. Liv said,_ "I know you are upset. I know what you are upset about. We will deal with the drama that is Mellie in the morning. I know that you are scared that this is too much for me, but this is where I belong. Mellie no longer controls us. She will learn that lesson tomorrow. She will either step up and be a mother or she will go away forever. We will deal with her together tomorrow. Tonight we eat, rest, and relax. The next couple of days are going to be hard enough. Let's not make it any harder."_

Fitz smiled at her. She always knew what he was thinking. It was because they were soul mates. He was glad that they were finally getting it right. He could not dwell on the past. He had to work on making their future better.

Fitz said I am going to go order us some Chinese. Do you want to eat at the table or take it to the room?

Olivia thought about it and said room. How about you go check in on Teddy. I know that he is sleep but for your piece of mind. I will be right up.

Fitz nodded and headed up the steps.

Olivia pulled out her phone and called Huck.

Huck, "Hi Liv, are you okay?"

Huck I am fine. I wanted to see if you were able to put the package together on Mellie for me.

Yep Liv I finished it up about an hour ago. Do you want me to email a copy of everything that I put together and I can give the original to Abby?

Huck that would be great. Thank you for everything.

Liv you have done it for us time and time again. I know that we were upset with you about leaving, but it was because we wanted to be there for you like you have always been there for us. Liv we want you to be happy and if Fitz makes you happy and we all think that he does then we will make sure that you get your piece of normal.

Liv had never cried so much in her life but she also had never had as much love and respect in her than she did now so it balanced out.

Thanks Huck. I am glad that I made a better decision than my original one. You guys are my family. You will always be important to me. I am just adding to it.

Then Liv we will be with you every step of the way. Check your email the file is there. Let me or Abby know next steps and Huck ended the call.

Liv would look at the file later. She just wanted to be with Fitz right now. Liv headed up the stairs to say good night to the kids and head to bed.

Liv found Fitz in the room with Teddy just watching him. She walked over to him.

Fitz said, _I am going to be a better father to them and to our children. I promise you that I will be a better man, and a better husband to you._

Liv kissed his cheek letting him know she believed him

They walked out the room and headed a couple of doors down to Karen's room. They knocked and she informed them to come in.

Fitz said, _We just wanted to say good night honey and we love you. Don't stay up too late. We have to finish some things tomorrow for the service._

_Okay good night Mom and Dad I love you._

Without a second thought they both said _I love you too._

They were headed to their room when Fitz noticed that Olivia slowed down. He turned around to look at her to find out what was wrong. He noticed that she was hesitating.

Fitz looked at Olivia and said._ I had the furniture changed out about a month ago. There is a brand new sleigh bed similar to the one in our master bedroom in Vermont. I would never have you sleep in the same bed that Mellie and I slept in. We are also putting in new furtiture in the White House as well so when the time comes it will be one that only we have slept in._

Olivia could not believe that Fitz knew what she was thinking. Then again she could. That is why they belonged together.

Liv nodded and they headed into the bedroom to eat and relax.

**A/N-I decided to given Karen a voice in this story. That being said I had already mentioned that they were not leaving Vermont till 7:00 that evening and Vermont is on EST and I researched and a flight is roughly 5 1/2 hours so that is why I delayed the big talk till the next day to try and give some realistic expectations in the story. I am already working on that chapter and will also include the service which will be simple since it is private. It will be up either later tonight or sometime tomorrow. Something big is also going to happen in the chapter after the next one posted and I will do a small time jump to try and keep things flowing.**


	7. Family Showdown

**A/N-So as promised the show down has arrived. Leave me your thoughts. Sorry for any grammar errors. Remember that I do not own characters. All belong to Shonda. This is a long chapter guys. Have you guys seen Kerry doing press for Scandal this week. It was cute. She was still private but she opened up more than I have ever seen. I really just want to see one picture of the little girl, but I won't hold my breath.**

Fitz and Olivia were in the room getting settled when there was a knock on the door. Liv went to the door and Tom was there with three bags of food. Liv turned to Fitz wondering was he trying to feed a small army. Fitz came to the door. He grabbed the bag that had a lily sticking out of it. He informed Tom the rest of the food was for him and his team. He knew they had been going non-stop as of late. He felt like his agents were his family. He wanted to take care of them. Liv smiled when she realized what Fitz had done. They informed Tom they would not be going out for tonight so they could relax tonight and they would see them in the morning.

Fitz had brought up things for them to eat with, also he had grabbed two bottles of water, also a bottle of wine for them to share. They decided to share a quick shower so they could fully relax.

Once they settled on the bed they turned on the news to see what was going on. They were still speaking about the death of Gerry Grant of course. They noticed that Abby had released a statement informing the public that the services would be private and the family was requesting privacy at this time. Abby had not disclosed where Gerry would be buried but did disclose the date of the service. Since they had not seen any news trucks around Olivia realized that her team had the media believing that the services were going to be held in D.C because she could see that the media was at every major cemetery in the D.C./Maryland area.

Fitz was beaming. She had a really solid team.

Fitz turned to her and said. _They think that his body is still in D.C. don't they?_

Olivia responded from the looks of it I would say so._ I think my team has been leaking that which is why they are there and not here. It will give you the privacy to bury him. By the time they realize that he is in California you will have already buried him._

_Thank you._

_I had nothing to do with this at all. My team has come up with this all on their own. I only informed them that you and the White House would be our next client. They took it from there._

_You taught them well!_

_I think that we taught each other a lot. I am glad that I made the decision to not just leave. As I sit here with you thinking about the last 24 hours I without a doubt know that if I would have left especially with Jake we would have been lost forever._

Fitz gets quiet as he thinks about the fact that she was going to leave with Jake. He knows that he has to let it go. It still hurts to think that she was going to leave with him. Before he even thinks about it he blurts out, _"If you told me that you loved me why would you still decide to get on a plane and leave with him?_

Olivia sat there for a moment. She was not stunned that he asked the question. She was just stunned that it took him this long. It also surprised her that it did not come out as an accusation but more like he was trying to understand why.

Olivia responded,_ "In truth I no longer wanted to be alone. He asked to stand in the sun with me. I told him that I was in love with you. He did not care. I was tired of being alone. I felt like we were in a revolving door and nothing was going to change anytime soon. Gerry was gone. This is a child that I loved like my own and my own parent took him away. I knew that I would never truly be happy with Jake, but I figured I deserved it. In time I thought you would find your own piece of happiness if I was no longer around."_

Fitz looked at her and asked,_ "What made you change your mind?_

Without thinking Olivia turned and looked at Fitz, _"I knew that while I may never stand in the sun with you I could never walk away from you that way. I love you. I had to consider your feelings. I had to consider the feelings of my family which included my team, the children, and you. I could never be that selfish. I was not banking on a future with you when I chose not to leave with Jake. I just needed to at least make sure we had the proper closure so that we could both move forward. I was not expecting us to finally be adults and work through our issues. I am glad that we are. We both deserve to find our piece of normal whatever it may be. It is even better that we get to do it together."_

Fitz got up without saying a word. He cleaned off the bed. Olivia had no clue what he was thinking. Olivia knew Fitz was not going to take this all in stride. It was wishful thinking that they could be adults about this. Olivia was ready for the fight that was about to come.

Fitz turned around and looked at Olivia. She was beginning to freak out with the way that Fitz was acting.

Fitz grabbed her hands. He began kissing her slowly starting at the top of her head. He was taking his time like she was a fine piece of China. He eventually made his way down to that spot on her neck that drove her wild. He began paying special attention to that spot and Liv was becoming mush. Fitz was driving her wild. She could not form a sentence to save her life. Fitz went to her ear and whispered,_ "You are mine. Only you and I get to stand in the sun. I promise you starting now to the day I die that you will never have a reason to want to stand anywhere else other than with me. I brought him into our life. For that I am sorry. It hurts to know that you considered leaving with him, but at the end of the day you are with me. That is all that matters. Please don't leave me again Olivia. I do not know if I can survive you walking out of my life at this point."_

Olivia turned her head and looked Fitz in the eye,_ "I want to only stand in the sun with you which is why I changed my decision and my plans. It is why I finally stood up to my father. It is why I am going to stand up to Mellie tomorrow. I realize that running away from you only makes things worse. I love you. I need you. Take care of my heart Fitz. I do not know if I can handle if you break it on purpose ever again."_

Fitz nodded, _"I promise and to seal our promise to each other I need to be inside you."_

Fitz undressed them both. He did not want to hurry. He no longer wanted them to have stolen moments. She was worth more than that. Tonight there would be no foreplay. They needed to connect with each other. They needed to be one.

Fitz entered Olivia with one full thrust. Olivia had never felt so full in all her life. Fitz cock felt bigger than ever. She wrapped her legs around him trying to get him to speed up. Fitz looked down at her. She knew that he was in control tonight.

_Liv we don't need to rush. We have the rest of our lives. I know everything is not going to just fall in place, but I am no longer going to treat you like the mistress that I say that you are not. My actions have at time indicated that I felt like you were the other woman. I need you to know tonight you are my woman. My one and only._

Fitz began to thrust in and out of Olivia at a slow but deep pace.

Fitz, _Oh God you feel so good. Right there baby please don't stop._

Fitz lifted up Olivia's leg which caused his cock to slide deeper in her pussy.

Olivia screamed,_ Fitz you are so deep baby. Oh God. More baby. More. Please_

Fitz began to thrust a little faster in Olivia. Before he realized it Olivia had used all her strength and flipped them over.

Olivia slid back down Fitz cock and began to thrust down on Fitz like he was a stallion.

Fitz looked in Olivia's eyes and he had never seen them so full of emotions. For once he felt like she was fully invested in them.

He lifted his head up and began to suck on her nipples. The harder he sucked the harder Olivia rode him. He turned to the other breast paying it the same amount of attention.

Fitz looked at Olivia, _Take us over together Livvie. I know you want to cum baby. I am almost there. I know you are you. Take us baby._

Liv grabbed Fitz's face and began to kiss him. Fitz was swallowing her moans.

_Fitz I am so close. I am close baby._

_Me too Livvie. Take us Livvie. Take us over._

Liv threw her hips down twice and she felt the orgasm take her over. She thought that she was seeing stars.

Fitz could not hold on and he emptied his seed deep inside of Olivia.

Both of them dropped down. Both of them knew that this love making session was more intense than any that they ever had.

Emotions changes things. They knew they were changing. Both were okay with that. Nothing needed to be said. Fitz pulled the covers over them and they fell asleep.

Olivia woke up after she heard Teddy crying. Olivia knew that Fitz had sent Marta to one of the guest houses because he liked to take care of Teddy at night. She looked over and noticed he was out like a light. Olivia slipped her robe on and headed down to Teddy's nursery. She went over to the crib and picked him up.

_Liwwie._

Hi Teddy. Let's get you changed and fed. I am going to take care of you and we are going to let daddy get some more rest.

Teddy nodded. Liv smiled. She changed him and took a bottle from the small refrigerator in the room and put in the bottle warmer. While she waited for the bottle to warm she rocked Teddy and started singing to him. Teddy wrapped his finger around her hair. They were both content. Once the bottle warmed she fed him. She could tell that Teddy was getting sleepy again. She started rocking him. As she rocked him she told Teddy, _"Daddy loves you so much. I do too. We will take care of you. We want you to grow up and be anything that you want to be. Your daddy will never hold you back. If you want to be a teacher that is okay. We love you to the moon and back."_ Olivia heard little snores coming from Teddy and realized he was sleep. She put him back in his crib and quietly left the room.

Olivia went back to their room. She thought Fitz was asleep. She went into the bathroom and did her morning routine. When she came out she was surprised to see that he was awake.

_Good morning baby_

_Good morning sweet baby. How did you sleep?_

_I slept well. How about you?_

_I was sleeping well until my favorite pillow left me. I was upset until I realized where you went._

She looked up surprised.

He showed her the monitor that was on his side of the bed. Now she knew why Teddy sounded so close.

_You know for someone who never saw themselves being a mom you sure are a good one._

_I don't know about that Fitz._

_I disagree. My kids love you. You treat them well. I can not image how you would treat your own._

_I would treat them the same way that I treat your children, because I would not look at them any differently then I do now when I have our biological children._

_So you want to have kids with me?_

_I will be honest I never thought about being a parent. Considering my parents I did not think it was a good idea. Your kids have taught me so much. They are my first children. I would however like for us to have a least one or two of our own before we call it quits._

Fitz looked at Olivia and smiled._ I agree._

Fitz asked Olivia if she wanted to take a bath together. She nodded. He got up and told her to give him 15 minutes to set everything up.

While Fitz was getting their bath set up she decided to get them out some clothes to wear for the day.

Once she set everything out she headed to the bathroom. Fitz had dimmed the lights. Pull some candles out. He had used her lavender bubble soap for their bath. She immediately relaxed and she had not even gotten in the Jacuzzi tub.

They both undressed and climbed in the tub. For a few minutes they just relaxed and enjoyed the bath.

Fitz finally spoke, _"Are you nervous about talking with Mellie?_

Olivia: _"No I am not nervous to talk to her. I am nervous that she will not change her ways and that it will hurt the kids in the long run."_

Fitz responded,_ "I agree but like we told Karen all we can do is try. If Mellie never changes we can look back and know that we did all that we could."_

Olivia agreed.

They enjoyed their bath. They washed each other. They stayed until the water started to get cold. Once they were out Fitz wrapped the both of them up. When he walked back into their room he noticed that Olivia had already gotten him clothes out for the day. He looked at Olivia. She noticed that he was looking at the clothes.

Olivia apologized,_ "I am sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I will not do it again."_

Fitz went over to Olivia and silenced her with a kiss. _"Baby, thank you. I love it. I was just thinking how I could get use to this. I like the domestic side of Olivia Pope. It is not a side I have ever got to see."_

Olivia smiled

Fitz said. _"I also appreciate that the outfit was not some three piece suit. Thank you for knowing that everything is not always about the optics."_

Olivia knew he was referring to Mellie but said nothing in return. They got dressed and headed downstairs. Karen was already downstairs. She was reading her I pad and had breakfast in front of her. Olivia went over and kissed her first followed by Fitz.

_Good Morning Kare Bear said Olivia_

_Morning._

_Morning Laby Bug_

_Morning Dad._

Karen put her I pad down and moved her breakfast over to the table. After their breakfast was brought over by the chef they began to talk about everything and nothing. It was just a normal family breakfast.

_Hey dad. I was looking at schools in the D. C. area and one of my friends that use to go to the same boarding school as me but now lives in D.C. was telling me about Sidwell Friends School where she attends. She said their programs are tough but great. She says they have an excellent soccer team. I was wondering when we get back if we could look into me going there._

Fitz looked at Olivia. Olivia said,_ "I think that it is a good school that Karen would into well. A lot of politicians kids go there so you would not have to worry as much about her safety. They are use to dealing with high profile children. We just need to get some teacher recommendations from the boarding school. Everything else you can handle."_

Olivia turned to Karen,_ "Honey is this what you want? Do you want us to look into any other schools for you?"_

Karen was shocked they were asking her what she wanted. She was not use to this type of parenting. It was nice to feel like she had a voice. Karen replied, _"No Liv I was looking up the school today. I agree I think that it is a good fit for me. Thank you for asking."_

Fitz looked at Karen, _"Honey I know that I have not been the best dad to you. Again I am sorry but today is a new day. We are going to make some changes. I promise to find ways to spend more time with you. With you being home it will help but also to carve out time for us to do things. I love you so much and I do not want you to walk out in the world and think that you do not have a voice. I may not always agree with you or side with you, but I then he turned to Olivia and said no I am sorry I mean we will always listen."_

_"Dad I know that mom is not going to be happy about this decision? I am scared. Are you sure that after talking with mom that you are not going to change your mind?"_

Olivia decided to speak up, _"Karen I promise you and you know that I do not make promises that you are not going back to boarding school. Your dad is not changing his mind and I will make sure you stay with him if it the last thing I do. Your mother does not get a say on this matter."_

Before anyone else could say anything Mellie stepped in the kitchen. She looked at Fitz, _"So now your bring your whore here and she gets to now make decisions regarding my kids. Have you lost your damn mind Fitz?"_

The three of them turned and looked at Mellie with disbelief. Olivia was hoping that with the loss of her son she would show some sort of real feelings. Fitz was beyond angry at this point. Karen was embarrassed even though no one was there but them. She was really trying to find reason to love and respect her mother, but this was not helping.

Karen jumped up and said, _"Mother there is no need for you to come here trying to fight. For once can you listen. Everything is not always about you. I was going to apologize to you and say that maybe I was being to hard on you. Then you come in here acting crazy. The only thing I am sorry for is that if what I said to you came out in a disrespectful manner I am sorry for that. I am done with this drama we call a relationship."_

Karen was trying to walk past Mellie when Mellie grabbed her by her wrist. Mellie looked at Karen with such hate, _"Little girl who do you think you are talking to?"_

Before either of them could say anything Olivia jumped up before Fitz had a chance to grab her. She grabbed Mellie by the hair and said, _"I will give you to the count of three to let go of Karen and if I ever see or hear that you laid a hand on her ever again Jesus will not be able to stop me from killing you."_

Mellie, Fitz, and Karen were all stunned. No one had ever seen this side of Olivia. It was really quite scary. Mellie let go of Karen's wrist.

Olivia turned to Karen and informed her to go to her room and not to come out until either her or her dad came and got her. Karen ran out the room. She knew now was not the time to question Olivia. She hoped to never be on the receiving end of this Olivia.

Olivia had let go of Mellie as soon as she had taken her hands off of Karen. Fitz came around and pulled Olivia back. Olivia looked at Fitz, _"I am fine. I just needed Mellie to know that if she wants to fight then she will fight with adults and not a child. Since you can never put your hands on a woman in anger for any reason that left me. I got plenty of reasons to whoop Mellie's ass but if she is smart she will learn to fall in line."_

Fitz turned to Mellie, "_Sit down Mellie."_ She could hear in the tone of his voice that he was beyond angry but Mellie backs down for no one.

Mellie turned to Fitz, _"Who do you think you are talking to? I don't answer to you or your whore. How can you let her put her hands on me and you not say anything?"_

Mellie had no clue that she was dealing with Olivia 2.0 but she was going to find out the hard way before she left today. Fitz did not get a chance to respond. Olivia gave him a look letting him know that she got this.

Olivia turned to Mellie. "Mellie_ you just don't know when to quit. For some one who graduated at the top of their class you are still dumb as hell."_

Mellie was about to speak when Olivia said,_ "Shut up Mellie. You always talk now it is my turn."_ You could have heard a pin drop in that room.

Olivia began to speak:

5-_Today will be the last time that you call me out of my name and get away with it. You always call me Fitz's whore but the last time I checked Fitz never paid me for my services. I gave them to him willingly. A whore is someone who engages in sexual intercourse for money, favors, etc. That sounds like you. You laid down and had children with Fitz to get paid. You sleep around with other men in hopes of calling in a favor when you don't get what you want from Fitz. So it sounds like you are the whore not me._

4-_The idea that you are these children's mom is a joke. What kind of mom keeps their children from their dad. Hoping that they will grow up to hate their dad so you can use it against him. Just because you laid on your back and got pregnant does not make you a mom that makes you a mother and anyone woman can be a mother._

"Excuse me said Mellie

Shut up Mellie I am talking said Olivia

Where was I? Oh yeah.

3-_Your days as First Lady are over. You no longer hold any power. You see you have played the I am the one who was wronged one too many times. Yes Fitz and I had an affair. You could tell the world. He may remain President he may not, but you see both you and I know that he does not care as long as we are together he will be fine. I assure you we are together. However you have a lot of dirty little secrets and let's just say we all know that dirty little secrets always have a way of coming out. I promise you I know all of your dirty little secrets._

2-_You will not fight Fitz on any of the terms of the divorce that I know he laid out for you. You will also give him full legal and physical custody of both children. You will be allowed to see Teddy once a month and after Karen begins to see her therapist and they recommend to us if she can handle visits with you we will set those guidelines up at a later date. She will not be forced to see you and if you run for office you will not drag the children around for the purpose of optics. Oh and I know that you had thoughts of blackmailing me into helping you. You can cross that thought out of your mind. If you learn how to act I may be willing to assist you but it will be my choice._

1_-No more games Mellie. I promise you that you will not win. I have more weapons than you care to find out. I promise that if you continue to play this game you will lose. You can grow up and maybe just maybe I will attempt to help you down the road. We will attend the service tomorrow and all grieve for our loss. We will then began to move on in our lives. Take any other option and I promise you that I will bury you and they will never find your corpse_.

Mellie always knew that Olivia Pope had to have a mean streak. There was no way she could be as good as she was without it. However she had never seen that side of her until today. It was taken out on her and it was scary to say the least. Mellie hated to lose and especially to Olivia. Now was not the time to try her. She would bide her time and get back at Olivia.

Mellie sat down quietly. Fitz and Olivia went around the table and sat down as well. Mellie informed them both, _"I agree to your terms."_

Fitz and Olivia looked at each other knowing that Mellie was not giving in so easily, but now was not the time to play twenty questions with her. They would just go along with the flow for now.

Fitz spoke, _"Mellie all the arrangements for the service has been set for tomorrow. Everything that you were notified of remains the same except for the flowers. There were switch to lilies because Gerry liked those."_

We will have the service at the funeral home tomorrow at noon. OPA has put out leaks that has the media thinking that the body is still in D.C. which is why we have not been hounded by them. By the time they figure it out tomorrow Gerry will already be buried. OPA is handling our case. Olivia is not involved in the case.

Mellie turned to Olivia. She had to catch herself so she did not say anything to make her mad again, _"Why are you not handling the case?"_

Olivia responded, _"I am not currently residing in D.C. My team is handling the office until I return. Before you ask there is no timetable."_

Mellie knew that she was not going to get any more information out of her so she dropped it. Fitz also informed Mellie that he was sent designs for the headstone that was going to go over Gerry's burial plot; he informed her that he would send her an email later today to get her thoughts and they would provide them with the one they decided tomorrow so that it could be made. Mellie agreed.

Anything else asked Fitz

Mellie nodded no.

They got up to walk Mellie out. Fitz informed Mellie that a car would come to pick her up tomorrow at eleven and bring her to the funeral home. They did have his body available to view today from 4-6 if she wanted to see him.

Mellie asked,_ "Are we not going to arrive together?"_

Mellie there are no cameras. This is not about optics. Those days for us are gone. If by chance there is one we will just say the other needed more time to get themselves together.

Mellie walked out the door without saying anything. As she was being driven away Mellie should have understood that she was no longer in charge, but Mellie being Mellie always felt like she had one more card to play. If Fitz and Olivia thought they were just going to ride off into the sunset then they had another thought coming.

Fitz closed the door. He just looked at Olivia. He had never seen that side of her. It excited him and scared him all in one breath. He always knew that she would protect him. In the back of his mind he knew that included the children, but that time had never presented itself until today. It gave him relief to know that she had the mama bear mentality.

Fitz was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost did not hear Olivia say, _"I'm sorry"_

Fitz looked up, _"What are you sorry about?_

I know that it was wrong to put my hands on Mellie. I just got so mad when she put her hands on Karen.

Never apologize Olivia for protecting our children._ How about we go check on them?_

Olivia smiled, _"I like that"_

Olivia and Fitz walked to Karen's room and knocked. She open the door and ran into both of their arms. Olivia was rubbing circles on her back. Karen was really worried about what happen downstairs. She really wanted to go back with her dad.

Olivia whispered in Karen's ear, _"Sweetie it is okay. We have taken care of everything. I promised you that you were going back with your dad and I meant it. Why don't you get cleaned up and we will go by the funeral home to confirm everything is set for tomorrow and then we will head down to the beach and spend some time together."_

Karen looked at Olivia and knew she was telling the truth. She was relieved. She nodded and headed into her bathroom to get ready. Olivia and Fitz went down the hall to get Teddy and grab some things for him. They gave Marta the rest of the day off. He sent her to a resort to allow her to get pampered. She worked really hard and he wanted her to know that they appreciated all that she did.

Once they got Teddy ready Olivia went and grabbed her purse and they made their way to the car. They went to the funeral home first. They spoke with the director who confirmed everything was set. They asked the director if they could see Gerry now as they did not want to come back later. They wanted to allow the kids a break and they were not sure if Karen could handle multiple trips to the funeral home. The director had no problem in allowing their request. Daniel offered to take Teddy while Olivia, Karen, and Fitz went to view Gerry. Tom followed the director who took them to Gerry. They were all holding hands. They walked over and looked at Gerry. He looked so peaceful. He looked like he was sleeping.

Fitz was looking at the suit. He remembered the suit Gerry was in. It was similar to the one that he had. It is funny because Olivia had bought him the suit. It was an Armani suit and Fitz normally wore Brooks Brothers. He never knew that Gerry had even noticed the suit. Olivia was looking at the flowers on top of the casket and all she could think about was their walks on the campaign trail. Karen was just thinking how at peace he looked. It was hard for all of them to see Gerry and know that he was gone, but in the moment they found some sort of peace at the same time. They never let go of each other's hand. They wanted him to know they were there as a family for him. They eventually walked up and touched him. Fitz finally spoke, _"Gerry we miss you so much, but we are here as a family. We love you where ever you are."_ Fitz could say no more before he started crying. Olivia and Karen held him until he was calm. They all turned around and left the funeral home.

The spent the afternoon at the beach. Olivia took Teddy out to the water and put his feet in and they watched him splash the water. It was so cute and Fitz and Karen were taking pictures. Karen, Olivia, and Teddy buried Fitz in the sand. It was quality family time. They got back to the ranch. They decided after they took a shower they would order pizza and watch a movie. Olivia told Fitz to go ahead and get his shower while she bathe Teddy and got him ready for bed. When Fitz was done he came downstairs and ordered the pizza. Karen came down and he asked where Olivia was. She told him she was still in the nursery she thinks. Fitz walked to the room and when he opened the door he seen Olivia rocking Teddy to sleep. He was fighting it. Fitz could not wait for them to have a child that was theirs. After a few minutes she heard the familiar snores indicating he was sleep so she put him in the crib and turned on the nightlight and grabbed the monitor.

She stepped out and closed the door and Fitz grabbed her. He was looking at her with such love. He could tell that she was tired.

Fitz said, _"Baby go ahead and take your shower. Why don't you get in bed and I will bring you some dinner."_

_No Fitz I will be down once I freshen up. We promised Karen dinner and a movie and that is what we are going to do._

Fitz knew not to argue with her and nodded. He went downstairs and sat with Karen.

Dad, is Olivia really okay? My gut tells me she is running on empty. I am worried about her. She never slows down.

Lady bug you know Olivia. I offered to take her dinner, but she promised you dinner and a movie and you know how she feels about promises.

Karen nodded.

Twenty minutes later Liv came down in her favorite pajamas that Fitz had brought her a couple of years ago. Funny that he does not often get to see her in her lounge clothes. She could tell that Fitz and Karen had been talking about her. Before she could say anything Tom came in with their dinner.

They moved everything to the family room. They ate in silence for a few minutes.

Karen decided to speak up, _"Olivia thank you for being here. Thank you for what you have already done for us. I am scared that something is going to happen to you so please take care of yourself because we need you. Before you being in our life was great but in my mind I always expected it to end, but know and I can only speak for myself but I think Dad would agree is we need you. So please take care of yourself."_

Karen looked down. She was unable to face Olivia. Olivia put her food down and went over to Karen. _"Karen I am not going anywhere. You say that you guys need me but I need you too. I could never walk away from you. I am tired mentally, physically, and emotionally but in time it will all get better. Once we get through tomorrow I think we can all rest just a little bit. We can spend our final day at the ranch having a lazy day which none of us really get. I'll be okay because I have you, your dad, Teddy, and my team there for me."_

Karen nodded feeling better that they talked. It also gave her comfort that you could really talk to them without reservation. It was nice. Something that she never had before. Something that she was always jealous that many of her friends had. She had the most powerful parents in the world, but it meant nothing to her until now.

They had decided to watch Hunger Games. It took no time for Olivia to fall asleep. Fitz was glad she fell asleep. He knew that they last couple of days had been draining for her. She still had tomorrow to go. Karen and Fitz finished the movie. Karen kissed her cheek saying _Good night love you mom._ Olivia replied_ Love you too baby_. Fitz then took her in their room and settled her in bed. Once he got in. She moved over so that she could get closer to him. She mumbled _Love you_ and was back out.

Everyone woke up knowing what today was but it still was bittersweet. No one really said much. Marta had gotten Teddy ready this morning. Everyone sat down for breakfast but each were in their own individual thoughts. Fitz had emailed Abby asking her to fly down for the service and leave with them when they headed back to D.C. Fitz thought Olivia needed her best friend. He knew that Abby did not care for him, but they had talked before he left D.C. and he knew that she was just concerned for Olivia. He knew that once she knew he was around to stay he would come around. She should be arriving any time now.

Abby had arrived in Santa Barbara. She was surprised when the President asked her to come. He informed her that he was not talking to her as the President but as Fitz the man who wanted to make sure that the woman he loved was okay. He thought Olivia needed her there as added support. Also spending a day with her before she went back to D.C. and Olivia to Vermont would be good for them both. Abby hated Fitz at first because he thought he was playing Olivia. It was clear that was not the case and he loved her. Abby was going to give him the benefit of the doubt and give him a real chance.

Abby pulled up the ranch. Tom opened the door and grabbed her bags. The ranch was unbelievable. Man they have money she thought. Tom took her into the house and was taking her to the dining room. She heard them talking. When Tom came around the corner he nodded to Fitz.

Olivia looked up and asked what was going on.

Fitz spoke,_ "Olivia you have been going for us non-stop. I need you to know that I appreciate you. I know that today is going to be hard for you. I thought that you needed an additional support system outside of Karen and I so I flew someone in."_

Olivia looked at him confused. Tom stepped aside and Abby stepped around the corner. Olivia was in shock. She was crying and did not know it. Abby came over to her and hugged her.

Abby looked at Olivia,_ "You have always had my back. What woman comes in and fights a man for her friend at three in the morning. We have been best friends for years. I know as of late we have not been on the same page. I understand more now than I did. I am here for you. I want you to find your piece of normal and if that is with Fitz and the kids I am there for you one thousand percent. I love you. Trust me like I have always trusted you. We will get you through this together."_

Olivia was sobbing now. _"I love you too Abby. I am so sorry for all of the secrets. At first I was ashamed and then I just did not know if you guys would accept this part of my life. Thank you for coming."_

I can't take the credit. You know if the President calls you kinda have to come Abby was joking.

Olivia laughed

Abby responded,_ "He is a keeper even if he is a Republican"_

Olivia nodded. Yes he is.

They finished breakfast and went to the funeral home. OPA had done a great job because the media still had not figured out where the service was other than he was being buried today. Their car arrived at the same time as Mellie. Mellie must have forgotten the memo where there was no media because she was camera ready. When she got out the car she looked around. Although no cameras were allowed in the funeral home or at the burial site she knew that they would be outside. She was disappointed to see no one but those coming for the service were there.

The service was short and sweet. People talked about the life of Gerry. Fitz gave the eulogy for his son. Karen read a poem that she had written that Gerry always enjoyed. Mellie at one point attempted to get over emotional and was hanging on Fitz. Karen fixed that by switching seats with her dad. Mellie was shocked and all of a sudden she had her emotions under control again.

Once they got to the cemetery. They were all given a lily to put on top of the casket. Fitz had specified that Olivia speak there. Initially she refused not wanting to deal with Mellie but Fitz reminded her that this was about Gerry. When the time came. Olivia spoke of Gerry and the young man she got to know for the last couple of years. She spoke of happy times. Before she sat down she turned to the casket and said, _"Gerry I remembered our talk. I promise you that I will listen to what you said. We will be okay."_ She laid the flower down and went to Fitz, Abby, and Karen who consoled her.

Mellie was mad. She was sitting on the side line like the evil stepmother. She had no idea what Olivia was talking about. When was Gerry even talking to her? Mellie would never made a scene in public. Once the service was over they had everyone out to the ranch to eat. Mellie finally seen Cyrus and knew that he would be able to help her stop this craziness.

Mellie finally found Cyrus alone and went over to talk to him. Cyrus could see her coming and knew what she wanted. She needed someone on her side to help her. In the past he was always on her side wanting Fitz to stay married but Cyrus did not want to be outside of the circle anymore. When Mellie got to him he spoke, _"Mellie save it. I can not and I will not help you. Fitz told me of his plans. He gave me two options I could have his back or I could go out the door with you. You can do nothing for me. Fitz is my friend. Olivia is like a daughter to me. I made the mistake of going against them in the past, but never again. Walk away Mellie. You will lose if you keep this up."_ Mellie stomped away. She could not believe it. Fitz was really serious this time. She left the ranch without evening say good-bye to the kids. Fitz and Olivia seen everything. They knew Mellie was up to something, but they were going to have to wait and see.

Everyone was tired after the day they had. Olivia made sure that Abby was set up in the guest room. That night everyone went to bed early. The next day as promised was a lazy day for all at the ranch. Fitz even made Tom and Daniel relax. They were not allowed to put on a suit. It was a fun day.

The following day they all headed to the strip. Fitz had his pilot there with his private jet to take Olivia back to Vermont. He, Karen, and Abby would head back on Air Force One.

Abby said good-bye to Olivia first._ "I went ahead and got you a new phone set up that has the office programmed in it. The team has the number as well. You will probably only hear from either myself or Huck. We informed Quinn and Harrison to run things by us before they reach out to you. She handed her a second phone. This will be your new Fitz phone. I will give Fitz his. Huck has already programmed both phones. Don't ask. Take your time. Get you better. We will be okay. Huck and I will take care of them. We promise to keep them safe until you can come back to them. Love you"_

_Thanks Abby. I love you too..._

Karen stepped up,_ "Mom because that is who you are to me. Thank you for always looking out for us. Take care of you. We need you to be okay in order for us to be okay. I promise to be good. I will listen to whatever I am told to do. I don't want to make this hard on dad or you. Abby has given me a phone to call you on. I promise not to bug you too much, but it is nice to have a mom to talk to so I am not sure if I can just turn it off. If I become too much just let me know. Love you mom to the moon and back._

_I love you too Kare Bear and you are never a bother. Continue to be you and call me whenever you need to. Remember nothing is changing behind close doors. We are just working on making us a family in the yes of the public..._

Fitz finally went over to her. He already had tears in his eyes. He had gotten so use to them being together. This was much harder than he thought it would be. He knew that he had to get his self together. He did not want her to feel bad or guilty. He composed himself enough to speak.

_I love you. I want you to enjoy this time and find a better form of yourself. This is going to be the last time that we spend this much time apart from one another. You are my better half. Thank you for choosing me._

_I love you too Fitz. We are going to be okay. I know that now. We will talk all the time. I expect a call before bed tonight mister. Love you baby._

They held each other for minutes. They finally kissed and each went to their plane. They left knowing that they were on to a path of a better life.

**A/N-I know that this was long. I just wanted to show the emotions that were going on. Next chapter is a time jump to see where they are. I am going to warn you that something big is going to happen. I am going to throw in a twist for the ages. Gotta have it feel a little like Scandal. Oh and as you can tell I did not kill Harrison off in my story. Leave your reviews please...**


	8. Time Heals Wounds

**A/N-So I am going to do a time jump. It is now three months later. I am about to take you on a ride these next couple of chapters. My version of Scandal. Sorry for any grammar errors. Characters belong to Shonda. I am going to break down the last couple of months individually then bring you back to present time.**

**Olivia (Still in Vermont)**

Olivia could not believe that it had been three months since she left D.C. She was sitting out on the balcony of her home thankful for the decision that she made. Abby had set them up with a therapist by the name of Dr. Sherry Blake. She was working with Fitz, Karen, and I. She had flown down to the house several times and other times we would video conference. We did individual sessions, couple sessions, and family sessions with Karen to make sure that she was okay with the transition.

I physically felt better than I ever had because I was sleeping more than two or three hours a day. I also was eating more than my popcorn and wine diet. I had actually gain five pounds. Fitz loved it and said it was in all the right places. I had cut my hair that now was shoulder length. I now have ombre highlights instead of my traditional black hair. Karen actually suggested it during one of their weekend visits. I was unsure at first but I decided if I did not like it I would change it back in time. Turns out I love it and I think it looks professional for when I return back to OPA and eventually the White House.

Fitz and I were as close as ever. During the last three months we spend a lot of time talking. We knew the sex between us was great, but that does not sustain a relationship so we took the time to get to know one another. Fitz had come at least twice a month to visit. When he came he made sure that we had a least one date. Sometimes we stayed home and other times he took me out. It was everything that I ever dreamed of. The sex was still great. I think even better because we were connecting at all levels now.

I had also spoken with my dad several times. After some sessions with Dr. Sherry I was able to communicate my feelings to my dad. Don't get me wrong he is still an evil man but not to me. He was learning how to respect me as an adult. Fitz had called me a month after Gerry's funeral and informed me that my dad had popped up at the White House. He wanted to talk with Fitz man to man. He said it was a tense conversation at first but they were later able to come to an understanding. About a month ago he came out to Vermont to visit me and see where we would be residing after the White House days were over. To my surprise my dad was pleasant. He felt like a parent and not a stranger. He also told me he enjoyed be a grandfather. Although he could not wait for me to have my own but it would not change how he treated Karen and Teddy. He stated he could not wait to come and visit his grandchildren in their home. We now talked to each other every Sunday until I go back and then we agreed to go back to Sunday dinners. Some in his home and others at the White House and my home.

**Fitz (White House)**

The last couple of months had been the best and worse time of his life. He was still dealing with the grief of losing his son. He missed Olivia even though they talked every day. He had worked with Dr. Sherry quite a bit over the last three months. The sessions were proving to be fruitful as he felt there was a change in himself as well as Olivia and Karen.

Per the agreement that he had set up with Mellie OPA released a statement explaining that the First Lady needed extra time to grieve which is why she did not return to D.C. after the funeral. The media were in shock that they did not realize that Gerry had been buried in California until the day I returned and released a statement thanking the public for their thoughts and prayers as I buried my son. A month later a statement was released on the couple getting a divorce. As expected Fitz numbers dropped. Abby suggested they do a joint interview which they did. Mellie was hell on wheels the whole time. She however quickly learned that Abby was Olivia Pope Jr and did not take her crap and she quickly fell in line.

America quickly got over the divorce because they were able to see that Fitz was happier and more productive. They began to profile who the next First Lady was going to be. They wanted to see how long it was going to take before he went out on a date. They had done several polls and most of America was okay with him moving on now. Although he was President he was still a man with needs. Also America just felt more comfortable with a First Lady in place inside of a single man. These numbers worked in their favor with him moving on with Olivia. They would just have to present it in the right way. Karen being home was an added bonus. Olivia had helped him get her set up at Sidwell and she loved the new school. She loved coming home everyday to her dad. She spoke with Olivia several times a week and he had brought her and Teddy to visit her in Vermont several times. Olivia had spent time designing and setting up Karen's room and when she seen the house and her room the first time she was in heaven. Karen would be heading to college as they were moving back to Vermont, but he made to let Karen know she was always welcomed home.

Since the divorce was uncontested it was finalized last week so I was officially a single man. OPA was working a plan for Olivia and I to date once she returned. I informed them I was not dating anyone else. Since Mellie and I were divorced Andrew decided that he did not want to be my Vice President so I threw in a surprise by naming Cyrus my Vice President. There was talk for some time since Cyrus was gay. I however no longer cared. I needed someone I could trust and although Cyrus had done his fair share of damage in the past I knew he had my best interest at heart. I also was not going to be running again since it was my second term so I did not need to work about re-election.

Since Cyrus was now my Vice President I asked Abby to step in and be my Chief of Staff. We worked it out that Cyrus would help her with the load until Olivia was able to come back. The biggest project that had completed was my SOTU address. Against my advice they had contacted Olivia. I did not want to bother her. She was however one of the best speech writers and she knew me so it worked out well. It was nice this time around to know where she was when I delivered the speech. She watched him deliver the address with pride. Marta, the kids, and her whole team were there for him that night. It was great.

Olivia and I were now a solid couple. I always knew that she was the love of my life. It has been nice to get to know her inside and out the last couple of months. I enjoy our talks about anything and nothing. We had went out on several dates when I went to Vermont. We had also done things as a family when Karen and Teddy came along. I could not wait to begin the next stage of our life. I was surprised when Rowan had come to visit but I am glad that he came because we were now all working together to build a solid family. I had introduced him formally to Karen and Teddy. Karen was shocked to find out that one of Olivia's parents was alive. She had no grandparents so this was cool. She had called him Papa Pope. He had purchased her the new I Phone as a gift and she was in heaven. It was nice to see the softer side of Rowan.

**Mellie (Relocated to North Carolina)**

Mellie was still in shock that Fitz had went through with the divorce. Somewhere in the back of her mind she thought that he would never go through with it. She truly realized how wrong she was when Abby had called her to do the joint interview after the statement was released that they were going to divorce. She had been given more than she should have been in the divorce considering her affairs could have left her with nothing, but Fitz was never as cold as she was. She should have been grateful but instead it made her hate him even more.

Andrew has resigned his place and relocated with her. He was working for one of the top corporate law firms in the area. She liked Andrew and she may have some love for him but she did not see herself with him forever. The sad part about it was that Andrew did not have any idea. He thought that he was going to build a life with Mellie. They were going to have a family and build up their political careers one step at a time.

Mellie had began to drink more and more as the days went by. A lot of it had to do with the way that she was portrayed in the media. At first Fitz had taken all the hits for filing for divorce. He was the one who filed for divorce and the public did not see him being a single man running the country. Even after the interview not much was said about her. Then a week or so after the interview an anonymous person had provided details about how Mellie was in the White House. They never spoke about their marriage per say but they provided details on how Mellie treated everyone she dealt with in the White House poorly. It was leaked that she did not deal with her children very often once Fitz started his term and she had them shipped off. The story had even went to far as to speak with the boarding school that confirmed they never heard from Mellie. Fitz never issued a statement in support of Mellie. She thought that Olivia had leaked the story but she found out that she had not been back to her home since Gerry died. Her political capital was going out the door. Her actions had burned more than her marriage.

Karen had still not come around since there fall out in California. She often tried to speak with her but the conversations were always one-sided. Anytime Mellie tried to ask about Olivia and Fitz Karen would end the call. She found that odd and felt like Karen knew where she was. She tried to get Karen to agree to see her but she had no interest in meeting with her. Dr. Sherry had informed Fitz that he should just play it by ear but if he noticed that Karen was not comfortable he should not force the visits. He also suggested maybe instead of visits that they could do dinners or something that was only a couple of hours at a time and instead of over night visits. Karen had been willing to try a couple hours at a time but Mellie never came.

At this time she had no standing to run for office anywhere. She had reached out to OPA and asked for Olivia to contact her. Abby had called her back a couple of days later and informed her that Olivia was not available to aid her at this time. Mellie was furious at this point. The alcohol was not allowing her to think straight. She was going to make them all pay for what they had done to her. Mellie placed a call to one of her last remaining friends asking for a favor. They were glad to help Mellie because they were upset that they had been shut down by these people as well. They set their plan in motion.

**OPA**

Over the course of the last three months the team had grown closer. Although they had always worked long hours together they now made a point to talk to each other about things other than work. Since Abby was not the Chief of Staff for Fitz the team stepped up to handle the cases that she agreed to take on. Olivia was not told about Abby's new job because they did not want her to feel that she needed to come back. They wanted her to take care of herself.

Harrison and Abby had grown closer the last two months. David and Abby and decided to end their relationship. They were better friends. Harrison and Abby pushed each other to be their best and because they were both in demanding jobs they respected that there was not a lot of personal time. The time they did have they had been on a couple of dates. They were not rushing the relationship but each was beginning to think that something was there for them to explore.

Huck and Quinn were at odds for a month. One night when they were researching a case they ended up hashing everything out. It was painful at first but in the end they realized they were good for each other in their personal and professional life. Quinn was helping Huck to try to find a way to see his son. He wanted a relationship with Javier but Kim was not making it easy. She did not believe anything that he had to say. One night Quinn went over to Huck's apartment to find him passed out drunk with pictures of his son around him. That was it. Quinn went over to Kim's house and showed her the files that she could to back up the story. Quinn demanded that Kim put her personal feelings aside and allow the relationship to mend. She informed Kim that if Javier wants nothing to do with Huck let him tell him so they can all began to move on. One day Javier showed up at the office requesting to speak to Huck. He wanted an explanation. Huck provided him one that was acceptable for his age. They were working on their relationship one day at a time.

The case load was light for the office but it allowed them time to come up with a plan to introduce Olivia and Fitz as a couple. Although they had not been given a time-table they all had a feeling Olivia was coming back soon. Two weeks ago she had sent Fitz's plane for them. They knew that she was in Vermont but never asked why or where she was staying. When the car brought them to her house they were floored. Abby had to ask why she was staying alone in a house this big. Olivia then explained that this was her home. Fitz had built them a home so she was staying in her home. They enjoyed their time with her. They could tell that she was happier and looked healthy. They also knew that once she was back with Fitz that she would be better than ever. It was time for them to put the plan in motion.

**Present Day**

Abby has spoken with Olivia and informed her that she was going to leak that Fitz had contacted her for her services since he was divorcing Mellie. After several conversations you guys met for dinner. During the dinner you realized that you both had a lot in common and Fitz asked to take her out on a date. Since she was not personally handling the case you agreed. They had some pictures from one of their dates that they were going to leak. This would allow them to go on public dates once she returned. Olivia agreed so while they were talking she sent a text to Huck telling him that it was a go.

Olivia informed Abby that she planned on returning to D.C. within the next month. Once she had a concrete date that she would get back to her.

_Liv before you go I have to tell you something said Abby_

_What's up Abby?_

_As you know Cyrus is now the Vice President so they had to fill his place. Fitz asked me to take the job after he seen the work I had done for you. I agreed to take the job. I have had it for two months now. We did not tell you because we did not want you to think you had to rush back. The team has helped me in the office and Cyrus & Fitz has helped me at the White House until you return._

_Olivia was shocked. She had not said anything for a few minutes. Abby thought she was mad._

_Olivia I am so sorry. I should have run this by you. Oh God!_

_No Abby I am not mad at all. I am proud of you. I am glad that Fitz chose you. You will do a great job. Hey once I am there we will be able to hang out too so that is a plus._

_So you are not mad?_

_Nope not in the least._

_Good. Talk soon_

_Bye Abbs._

That night as she was getting in the bed her I Pad rings that someone is trying to Face Time her. She knows who it is. Fitz pops up on the screen looking sexy in his silk pajama pants. When she comes into focus he says the word that evokes so much many between them, _"Hi"_

Olivia says, _"Hi"_

_"How was you day?"_ asked Fitz

_It was good. I finally have turned our house into a home which I am glad that way we don't have to worry about it once I leave. They finally finished installing the TV's in both offices today. The new conference equipment that we ordered was put in so when we are here you can do everything you need to do remotely and it is secure._

_That sounds good Livvie. You look beautiful. I still can't get over your hair. I love it._

_You are just saying that because you want to put your hands in it._

_True among other places_

Olivia blushes.

Olivia begins, _"So I was thinking of heading back in the next month. Abby called me earlier today and laid out her plan. I like it. I also found out her new job."_

Fitz got quiet. At the time he thought it was a good decision but he now realizes that he should have run it by Olivia. He just took one of her employees without asking.

_Fitz..._

_Fitz..._

Fitz finally looked up at Olivia.

_I am not mad. I think it was a good call. Abby will keep you in line. I will get to see my best friend once I am living with you. Once your term is up she will return to OPA if she wants._

Fitz was relieved.

They spent the next hour talking about anything and nothing. He had sent her videos of Teddy earlier in the day so they were laughing at those. He was now calling her mama. It was too cute. Mellie had not taken advantage of the monthly visits that she was allowed. She thought she would be coming to the White House but she was surprised when she was told they were going to be done at Olivia's home. They had decided they did not want any confusion that Mellie still had free reign at the White House. Also Fitz would not be there but Marta would be taking him and picking him up. Each time she called and said something came up when it was her time to visit. Karen and Mellie were barely speaking but again it was due to Mellie not being concerned about her and was just trying to get some information.

After awhile Fitz started yawning which made Olivia yawn. They each set their I Pad on the table and watched each other fall asleep which is something they did often over the last three months.

The next morning Olivia woke up feeling weird. For some reason her gut told her that something was going to happen. She then shook it off to nerves because she knew that they had released the information on her and Fitz starting a relationship. After she did her morning routine she went downstairs to make breakfast.

She called Karen while her breakfast was cooking.

Karen picked up,_ "Hi Mom"_

Olivia replied, _"Hi Kare Bear I just wanted to call and check up on you. I know that you have a game today."_

_I do mom. I also have my doctor's appointment today so Daniel is going to pick me up from school and bring me back so I can board the bus with the team since it is an away game._

_Okay sweetie. Call me after you leave the doctor and let me know that everything went okay._

_I will mom. Oh and dad said that you were coming home soon. I seen the news talking about you guys this morning._

_I am and I will let you know once I know when._

_Cool. I have missed you. I have not seen you physically in a month._

I miss you to baby. Not too much longer and we will be together.

Okay love you mom. My agent is here to take me to school

Love you too, bye.

Karen hung up the phone. When she looked up she noticed that it was not Daniel her usual agent. Every now and again she would have a different agent but normally she was told ahead of time. She just figured that dad must have forgotten to tell her.

She was escorted down to the car. She was too busy texting to notice that someone was in the car with her. When she looked out the window she noticed that they were not headed in the right direction. Right has she was about to say something a cloth was put over her mouth and she passed out.

**A/N-I am stopping right there. So yeah Karen has been kidnapped? Any guesses on who you think has her and why? Who do you think Mellie called for that big favor? The public now knows that Fitz is interested in Olivia. What do you think? Let me know. I have started working on the next chapter. I should be done before the weekend is up. You will find out who has Karen. I however hate to tell you but I am going to throw something at you again. Just so you know I will not break Olivia and Fitz up in this story. As the story goes on they will have every day couple issues, but they will remain together...**


	9. A Moment in Time

**A/N-I know that you are waiting for this. I hope that you have your seatbelt on so buckle up. Sorry for any grammar errors that I do not catch. All characters belong to Shonda. I am going to try to break it up and put a heading of each person when necessary to try to help the flow of this chapter.**

**Karen**

Karen woke up in a bedroom that she was not familiar with. She sat up and noticed that she was not chained or tied up to anything. She tried to look out the window to get an idea of where she was. The window had been covered up so that she could not see outside. She went over to the door and noticed that it was bolted shut and she could tell that it was locked from the outside. Karen began to panic. She had no idea what was going on or why she had been taken. She looked for her book bag, purse, cell phone anything that she could use to call for help. There was nothing in the room.

As she was looking around she heard a key being put into the lock so she sat down waiting to see who was opening the door. An older black gentlemen came in with a pizza and soda for her. She found it odd that he was not hiding his face. It honestly scared her. Was this man going to kill her? The thought caused Karen to start to panic. The man tried to come close to her and she screamed. He immediately stepped back and went out the room locking the door. He ran out to the woman who had talked him into doing this to get back at the President. She is freaking out in there. I am afraid she might hurt herself.

The woman said, _"Leave her be for now."_ She will calm down. She is like her father. She is trying to understand what is going on. Nothing can happen to her." The man looked at her and now realized that he made a mistake getting involved but it was too late. He had been wronged and lied too. He wanted the President to feel his pain. Now all he could hope is that nobody got hurt.

**Fitz (Oval Office)**

Fitz had been in meetings all day. He barely had an opportunity to eat. He was reading briefs getting ready for his next meeting when he heard a knock at the door. He informed them to enter and was surprised to see Rowan in his office. They were on good terms but they normally did not meet in the middle of the day. He knew something was wrong. Fitz looked up at Rowan and said, _"Please don't tell me something has happened to Livvie. Oh God no. We were just finally starting to get our happily ever after."_

Fitz was upset to say the least. On one hand Rowan was now confident that Fitz really did love his daughter. On the other hand it was not her who was in trouble but he was going to be just as broken if not more. Rowan went over to Fitz and got him to sit down on the couch.

_"Mr. President, Olivia is fine but there is a problem. I have kept an eye on your ex-wife because I was concerned that she was going to cause this administration problems. We had kept up with her goings and comings. Recently we heard her place a call asking for a favor but they were not specific on the call. We have been working to figure out what she was up to. We have figured it out._

Fitz looked up and asked,_ "What has Mellie done."_

Rowan got quiet for a moment before responding._ "She placed a call to Edison Davis and they kidnapped Karen this morning. Her agent Daniel was shot this morning by Hal Rambert. He went to Daniel's home and because they know each other we know he let him in. They needed to make sure that Daniel did not tell you of their plan. Daniel is in surgery now but the last I know the doctors were optimistic that he would survive. Hal picked Karen up for school which is why she got in the car without a fight. He then must a taken her to the place that they are holding her at. "_

Fitz jumped up, "_Why the hell would Mellie take her own child and what does Edison have to do with this?"_

_"It seems that she was upset that Karen would not deal with her. She is upset that you divorced her to be with Olivia and everyone is so accepting of Olivia. Edison has been drinking a lot the last couple of years upset that Olivia did not marry him. Once he found out that she was with you he has had a deep-seated anger at you. In other words this is about revenge. At this time we do not know how far she plans on taking this."_

Fitz sat down in shock. He never thought Mellie would be this crazy. When he seen her he would kill her himself. In the middle of this thoughts he jumped up.

_"Olivia"_

Rowan looked up.

_"We need to get Olivia here. I need to tell her. She can not find out on the news. It will break her Rowan."_

_"Mr. President, I agree which is why I have sent down my private jet to pick her up. I spoke with her and informed her that something was going on that you needed her for but for security issues we could not discuss it over the phone. Nothing has been told to the press. We have a 24 hour window to work with before I think that we have to tell the public that she has been taken"_

_"She should be arriving here within the next hour. I have already called her team. They are working on it but I ask them to come her to the White House in two hours because I wanted to give you an opportunity to speak with Olivia. If she saw them she would panic."_

Fitz nodded, _"How am I going to tell her our daughter is gone and that Mellie and her ex are responsible?"_

The thought of it alone broke him and he fell to the floor sobbing. Cyrus came in and saw Fitz on the floor. It was a sad reminder of when Gerry died. Before he could ask Rowan stepped over and briefed him on what was going on. He informed Cyrus they had a short amount of time to help Fitz compose himself before Olivia arrived. Cyrus nodded and went over to comfort Fitz.

**Olivia (On the private jet to Washington D.C.)**

Olivia had gotten a call from her dad and she was shocked because he normally does not call in the middle of the day. He had informed her that he was sending his jet to pick her up because something was going on in D.C. that Fitz really needed her for. He explained that he could not give details, but she needed to be at the air strip in an hour.

She was really concerned that he was not telling her much of anything. She knew that he was not going to tell her more so she got ready. She was concerned that maybe there was a bigger fallout than they imagined on going public. She thought Fitz needed her to get him through this. She had no problems with that. This man was the love of her life and she was ready to stand in her truth with him. She never thought that she would be more than a career woman. She loved her job and the thrill will never grow old but she wanted more. She wanted to go home to her husband and talk about anything or nothing. She wanted to help Karen get through the remaining years of her life having a mother figure be there for her. She wanted to help raise Teddy to be the best man that he could be. She dreamed of the day that she was finally carrying a child that was the product of both her and Fitz's love.

She was now in D.C. headed to the White House. Her stomach was in knots. She could not shake that something bad was going on and this was more than issues of her going public with Fitz. She was not going to wait longer because she was there. Tom was at the gate waiting for her. She stepped out and gave him a hug. She had got to know Tom over the years and although Tom was a man of little emotions which comes with the job but it was something in his eyes like he was in pain. I knew he was not going to tell me anything so I simply followed him to the meet Fitz. I expected for Tom to take me to the Oval Office. I was surprised that he was taking me to the Residence. Now I was really getting worried. As I was led into the living room where Fitz was I knew there was a problem. My dad was on one side and Cyrus on the other looking at Fitz. They did not know that I was in the room.

_"Hi everyone, can someone tell me what is going on?"_ When Fitz looked at Olivia she knew her world was never going to be the same. Fitz asked her to come over so they could talk.

**OPA**

Rowan had called OPA saying that the President needed their help. He asked to be put on speakerphone so he could explain the problem to everyone. Initially they were unsure of Rowan motives especially Huck. Rowan explained that Karen had been kidnapped and he was headed over to tell Fitz. He knew that Fitz would call them in but wanted to go ahead to get the team working since time was valuable. He informed that Olivia was on her way but had not been told because they did not want her flying with that on her mind. He asked them to come over in two hours because they wanted Fitz to have time to tell Olivia that Karen was gone.

They asked if there was any leads and Rowan informed them that Mellie Grant and Edison Davis were the masterminds. In addition they had used Hal Rambert to at least get Karen in the car as her SSA. He is not sure if he had done anymore. He was not sure if they had gotten anyone else involved in the plan. They had no idea where they would have taken Karen.

Once the call ended they immediately went to work. Quinn and Huck went to work on tracing phones and see if they could try to pinpoint locations. Harrison was headed out to track down what Edison had been up to. Abby was working on tracking down Mellie's whereabouts for the last three months.

**Back at the White House**

Olivia looks at Fitz and asks, _"Baby, what is wrong? Are you okay? You look pale."_

Rowan brought Olivia over to Fitz. We will give you guys some time. We will be in Cyrus's office. Call us if you need us.

Fitz looked up, _"Thank you. Can you make sure they have clearance to get in?"_

Cyrus nodded. He knew that Fitz wanted to make sure her team could get in without any problems.

Once the door was closed Olivia turned to Fitz, _"Please tell me what is going on."_

Fitz started crying. All he could say was._ "I'm sorry. I am so sorry."_

Olivia gave Fitz an opportunity to gather himself. Once he spoke she knew that she had not heard him correctly so she asked him to repeat that again.

Fitz looked up at Olivia and said, _"Karen has been kidnapped"_

Olivia went numb. They had already lost Gerry and now Karen was gone. This was more than she could handle.

She just looked at Fitz like she seen a ghost. For the first time he could no longer feel his pain. This was something he never seen out of Olivia.

He moved over to her, _"Livvie baby are you okay? Say something. I am so sorry."_

Olivia stood up. She took a step and that is the last thing she remembers.

Fitz sees her going down and caught her before she hit the floor. He screamed for Tom to call the doctor and to get Cyrus and Rowan back up here.

Olivia woke up to Fitz rubbing her hand. She jumped up.

_"Fitz why are you sitting here doing nothing. We have to find our daughter NOW. What the hell is going on?"_

Olivia is in total panic mode. She was not using any of her skills as a crisis manager. When it comes to your own family all bets are off.

She noticed a doctor in the corner and asked what was going on. Fitz informed her she passed out after he told her about Karen. Her blood pressure was really high. She had been out for 30 minutes.

Fitz brought Olivia to the sofa,_ "I am not going to ask you to calm down. I know that you want to find Karen, but you have to be healthy to do that. If you do not calm down some they are going to take you to a hospital so please relax just a little. Your dad called your team. They are on their way up and we will go from there okay."_

Olivia nodded and Fitz pulled her onto his lap where she began to sob, _"Fitz we have to find our baby. We can not lose her. When we find out who did this and we catch them I want them dead. I want them to never exist on this earth. I want them to die a slow tortuous death."_

Fitz had not gotten around to telling Olivia that they knew who had taken Karen. Fitz pulled her up and looked her in the eye, _"Baby your dad was able to figure out who has Karen."_

Olivia jumped up and asked who had Karen.

Fitz brought Olivia back over to the sofa and sat her down.

_"Livvie, Mellie and Edison kidnapped Karen for revenge."_

_"Who takes their daughter because they did not get their way. That bitch has lost her mind but I am going to fix it when I find her. I told her in California that if she ever laid her hands on Karen again I would kill her. I am assuming that Edison is mad that he did not get his prize so he thought he would join Mellie and for what. Did he think that this would make me want to go back to him?"_

Olivia began to pace back and forth. _"I need my team"_

Fitz responded, _"They are on the way up now. Why don't you get cleaned up and meet me in the Oval Office."_

Olivia nodded

**Karen**

Karen was really upset and she just wanted to go home. She cried until she had no more tears left. She had not eaten since dinner last night so she finally ate some of the pizza that was left for her. She looked around the room to see if she could figure out where she was. There was nothing. She went over to the window to see if she could find any open space to see out. There was a small area not covered. It allowed her to see that she was on the second or third level because she seen that it was a huge drop down. There was nothing but fields out back. It did not look like they were in a residential area. She went over to the door and tried to see if she could hear voices. She heard a man and woman screaming at each other.

The man voice was the same one that brought her the food. She was listening to the woman. It was really weird that the woman sounded a lot like her mother. She knew that she was hearing things because her mother would not stoop this low. She moved over to the walls which were thinner and she was able to hear a little more. The man was telling her that they needed to call in a ransom demand. She was telling him to give it more time. It would still be a couple of hours before they realized that Karen was gone.

She continued to listen to them going back and forth. Then she heard the man say something that made her sick. _"Mellie, I think that we should at least rough her up a bit and then make her tape a message to send back to her mommy and daddy."_

Mellie got mad, _"That bitch is not her mommy and if I hear you say that again I will shoot you myself."_

Edison,_ "You have lost your damn mind Mellie. What is your endgame here? We can't keep her forever."_

_"Look Edison I am not going to hurt Karen. We will call in a ransom demand so you can get your money. We also have to pay Hal for kidnapping her. There is no rush. She does not know who you are. You have no criminal record for her to pick you out of a lineup Edison. She has not even seen me so she will never be able to pin this on me."_

Karen could not believe that her mother was doing this. She knew that she was just going to have to play by the rules. The only upside to her mother taking her is that she felt comfortable now knowing that her mother would not kill her or cause serious harm. Once she was released she would be able to give them the information to arrest them. She got on the bed thinking about her dad, Olivia, Teddy, and even Papa Pope. She never had grandparents so having him around was cool. He had that evil look but so did Uncle Cy but they still treated her well. She just wanted to go home and cried herself to sleep.

**Back at the White House**

Olivia had cleaned up and headed down to the Oval Office. She went in and noticed that her team was there. They came over and hugged her which brought her comfort. Rowan and Cyrus were seated as well. Olivia went on and climbed on Fitz's lap. She needed him close now.

She turned to her team, _"Please tell me you have something."_

Huck nodded, _"We do. I was able to trace Karen's phone to Virginia where either the phone died or the battery was taken out. Mellie phone is not on but I suspect that she is using a burner phone."_

Quinn spoke, _"Edison is not using his phone either but he has a business phone that he uses for work issues that he never turned off. It pinged to a rural area in Virginia."_

Harrison spoke, _"I went through records and found out that one of Edison's aunts passed away two years ago and left her house to him. It is an old two-story house that I could never see him living in but a perfect place to hide."_

Huck,_ "I was able to research the house and seen that there is a lot of open area between houses. I suggest that we sent in a team and coördinate with the local police there. We could also have a team in the air if they run so we can see up high since this is an open area."_

Quinn: _"I already spoke with the Sheriff there. He confirmed that recently lights and water had been restored to the home. They are waiting on us for instructions."_

Fitz spoke, _"I will give you guys whatever you need. I just need our baby girl to be brought home safely."_

Olivia spoke, _"I want to go. She needs one of us to be there when we rescue her. It is too dangerous for you to go. I will stay in the car until they appended Mellie and Edison and tell me it is safe to get her."_

Fitz knew Olivia needed to do this. He also thought it would calm Karen down to see one of them so he agreed.

Everyone stood to start setting things up.

Olivia called her dad over

_"Dad I want them to pay. I need them to suffer. Once we get them. I need them to know they messed with the wrong child. Not because she is the President's child but she is our child."_

Rowan looked over to Fitz and he nodded.

Rowan responded, _"Consider it handled."_

**Take Down**

It was now early afternoon and Edison and Mellie were trying to decide how much ransom they were going to ask for. Mellie had finally agreed that Edison could slap Karen so when they saw her bruised up some they would know they were serious.

Edison had gotten up to go and get Karen to record the message. Mellie had decided to lay down and take a nap. The house was old and smelly but she would be back in her house in a couple of days.

It was worth it to see them suffer for all the pain they caused. Since Karen was always acting like she was grown she was going to treat her that way. Karen had forgotten that you are always loyal to your mother. Not some pretend fake want to be that comes in and steals her man and children. She knew that she was not the perfect mother, but that was no reason to leave Mellie out in the cold. Everyone was going to learn their lesson.

Edison went to the door and opened it up. Karen knew that this was a chance to get out. She was a runner so she thought that since they were older she had a good chance to get out. She could not take the chance they would not harm her in any way. They had kidnap her so they were crazy in her book. He expected Karen to be in the corner or on the bed. When he opened the door he could not find her. When he looked behind the door he found Karen who had found a rock under the bed and hit Edison with it and began to run.

"_You little bitch I am going to kill you"_ said Edison

Karen began to run down the steps but when she went to the door it had a lock that you needed a key for. She was running around trying to open windows when something hit on the head.

Mellie had hit her with the butt of her gun. She did it without thinking. She was just trying to make sure that she did not get out.

Edison came down the stairs to see Karen on the floor holding her head.

When Karen looked up to see Mellie they both look at each other with a horrified expression.

Edison shouted, _"What are we going to do now?"_

The plan remains the same. I am her mother. They can't charge me. I have parental rights. Just as Edison had pulled Karen over to the chair they seen the front door kicked in. They ran to the back door only to be met by another team.

They sat them down so they could get Karen out. Rowan called Olivia to come in and get Karen.

A few seconds later Olivia rushes in to get Karen. They both burst into tears holding each other. Olivia felt a wet spot on Karen's head and noticed the blood.

Karen responded, _"Mellie hit me in the head as I was trying to escape."_

Olivia responded, _"Come on let's get you out of here. Your dad is worried about you. We also need to get you checked out."_

Quinn stepped up and took Karen to the car. She knew Olivia wanted to say something to Mellie.

Olivia went over to Mellie,_ "I told you last time that if you ever laid another hand on Karen I would kill you."_

_"You stupid bitch. You can never stop. However I am going to make sure that you know that this was the worst mistake of your life."_ No one in that room who knew Olivia had never seen her this mad. This was Mama Olivia Pope and she was worst than the Formidable Olivia Pope. Rowan was looking at her. She looked a lot like him in that moment which was scary in and of itself.

Olivia turned around. They thought she was walking out but she turned and punch Mellie dead in her jaw. Mellie dropped. Olivia jumped on her and began to beat the shit out of Mellie.

They finally got her off. She turned to Edison.

_"You are stupid. That is why I never married you. You act like a kid. You act like I was a toy taken away from you and you were going to do whatever it takes to get it back. Now we are going to take your toys away from you. I hope they start with your balls since you think you got them."_

Olivia walked out the door and was headed towards Karen. They brought Mellie and Edison out. They had handcuffed from the front. Mellie's was never tightened. She was able to move her hands and wrists with ease. There was an officer in front of her. Mellie pretended to trip and leaned up and grabbed his gun. It all happened so quickly. It was too late. Mellie had taken the gun and shot Olivia twice.

Karen see Mellie with the gun. She ran over as Olivia dropped down. One of the shots hit Olivia in the head. Olivia fell to the ground motionless.

**A/N-So I am going to stop there. I told you guys I was going to take you for a ride. Do you think that Olivia is hurt badly? How will Fitz respond? Will that get their happily ever after? Next up you will find out the extent of her injury. Just so you know you will not get all the answers by the end of the next chapter.**


	10. Race to Save Olivia

**A/N-Thanks for all the reviews. They were a big help to me. A guest review said that we give Mellie too much power. In some instances I agree, but at the end of the day she is a powerful woman just like Olivia it is just that she uses her power for bad. I however intend to hold her accountable. Please continue to send me reviews. I did some research to try to make this chapter as realistic as possible. Sorry for any grammar errors that I missed. All characters belong to Shonda...**

Everything had happened in slow motion. Karen was headed towards Olivia when she noticed her mother look like she was going to fall and then suddenly she had a gun in her hand. No one had an opportunity to say anything before they heard the gun shots. Olivia was down.

Karen screamed, _"Oh my God Mom. Mom. Please be okay. Oh my God"_

The police had swarmed Mellie and she was just staring. It was like she could not believe what she had just done.

Karen jumped up and ran to jump on Mellie. Huck grabbed her before she could reach Mellie.

Karen started to scream at her, _"I hate you. You ruin anything good. I will never forgive you. I am going to make sure that daddy makes you suffer although we both know that once he finds out what you have done you he is coming for you. I will make sure that you suffer slowly in private and then we air all your dirty laundry for the public to see. I want them to give you the death penalty so you get to sit in a cell and wonder when the day will come that you will die. Orange was never your color but it will be."_

Mellie looked at her daughter with a blank face. For the first time she knew that she went too far. She knew that life as she knew it was over. When she looked up again she seen Karen screaming at them to save her mom.

Mellie and Edison were taken away. Per the instructions of the President they were being held under the Patriot Act. He had them both transferred to Supermax for the time being.

Everyone stood around as the paramedics worked on Olivia. They were trying to stabilize her. One of the shots was to the head. Abby came over to try to get Karen to come with her but she refused to be far from Olivia. She looked at Abby, _"Mom would never leave me if that was me down there. I am not leaving her side."_ Abby nodded and held her as they cried and looked on.

Rowan had stepped aside to place a call he never thought he would make. He called the President.

Fitz picked up the phone,_ "Rowan please tell me that you have my baby?"_

Rowan paused,_ "Fitz, we do have Karen and she is fine other than some bruising from where Mellie hit her with the butt of her gun."_

Fitz was relieved to know they found Karen. It was out the window when he realized that Rowan called him Fitz instead of Mr. President which meant something was wrong.

Fitz spoke,_ "Rowan, what is it that you are not telling me. You are speaking informally so there is something else isn't there?"_

Rowan paused. He could not stop the pain that was about to come Fitz way. He knew he needed to tell him so they could make arrangements for Olivia.

_"Fitz, Mellie was being taken away and apparently the cuffs were not tightened around her wrists. She pretended to fall but instead she grabbed another policeman's gun and she shot Olivia twice. One of those shots was to her head. They are working on her but we need to make arrangements to bring her closer to you."_

Rowan was not aware but Fitz had dropped the phone. He was on his knees in shock. Cyrus was near Fitz and picked up the phone and heard the tail end of the conversation.

_"Rowan it is Cyrus. Fitz dropped the phone. I heard part of what you said. Did I hear correctly that Olivia has been shot?_

_"Yes Cyrus Olivia has been shot. We need to have her brought closer to us so that we can all be with her. It looks bad now." Rowan was trying to keep his emotions in check. It was after all his daughter fighting for her life. Now was not the time to break down._

_"Rowan, have them to fly her to George Washington University Hospital. I will make arrangements to have a section closed off for her."_

_"Will do I will see you in a bit and Cyrus..."_

_"Yeah Rowan..."_

_"Take care of him. Be by his side. He needs all the friends he can get now. I know everyone sees me as the bad man and I am but not when it comes to my family. Fitz and Karen along with Olivia are my family. We have to take care of them."_

Cyrus sighed.

I agree and ended the call...

Cyrus looked down and Fitz and thought this man can not take much more. He knew that that the next couple of days were going to be hard. He need to make sure that Fitz was able to concentrate on his family.

Cyrus leaned down to Fitz,_ "I got you. We are going to have Olivia flown to George Washington University Hospital. A section is being set up for her care and for you and her team. Once we are there and get an update we need to release a statement and I think it should come from you. From there leave everything to me and I only want you to worry about your family. Your job is going nowhere."_

Fitz looked up at Cyrus,_ "I can not lose her Cy. Other than my kids she is the only thing that I have ever done right in my life. I need her."_

Cyrus responded,_ "You have her. Let's get ready to head over. They should be arriving to the hospital within the next hour."_

Fitz got up and stopped and turned around and picked up the phone and placed a call. Cyrus was trying to figure out what was going on.

Fitz put the phone on speaker as he was getting himself together when he heard someone pick up and say, _"Hello Dr. Derek Shepherd speaking."_

"_Derek, hi it is Fitz Grant calling."_

_"Mr. President"_

_"That is my title Derek but I am calling as a friend that needs a favor so it is Fitz."_

_"Fitz we have been friends for years. You have helped me over the years. I will try and help you any way I can."_

_"You know that the public just found out that I am interested in Olivia Pope. Well the truth is that she is the love of my life. We have loved each other since my first campaign. She has been more of a mother to my kids than Mellie ever was. I am about to tell you something that has not been released to the press yet. Mellie kidnapped Karen. Olivia went to be with Karen once they rescued her. Mellie shot her in the head. I need you to take her case. You are her best hope. Can you and Meredith take her case?"_

Derek was quiet for a moment. He had kept up with Fitz through the news. He never cared for Mellie but they all dealt with her because that was Fitz's woman. To know that she not only kidnapped her own daughter but then shot the woman who was taking care of her child that she was not was just beyond imagination. He had to help Fitz.

Derek spoke, "_Fitz, Meredith is already at the hospital. I will call her and have her be on the look out for Olivia's arrival. Let me get Baily situated and then I will be there."_

_"Thanks Derek I will see you soon"_

Fitz and Cyrus left the White House and headed to the hospital. When they arrived to the hospital they were met by Dr. Owen Hunt who was the Chief of Surgery.

Dr. Hunt, _"Mr. President, I am glad to meet you but I am sorry for the circumstances. We have worked with your team and have a section that will be used to treat Ms. Pope. We are told that she is ten minutes out. Dr. Grey is already up there waiting for her arrival. Derek called me and informed me of your request. They are at your disposal for as long as needed. The floor you are on also has a conference room as I am sure you will need that at some point. Please let me know if you need anything else."_

Fitz looked at Dr. Hunt, _"You have done more than enough. Please call me Fitz. I am here to make sure that the woman I love gets the help she needs. I know that we have to make security allowances but you don't have to walk around on egg shells with me. I am pretty normal. Just ask Derek."_

They all laughed a little.

Owen spoke,_ "Okay then Fitz why don't you get as comfortable as possible. I am going to go help Meredith until Derek gets here and then one of us will come out and give you an update."_

Fitz nodded. They went into the room. Fitz called Tom in the room.

_"Tom could you send someone back over to the White House and grab me several sets of clothes. I will also need my toiletries. Also do the same for Karen because I know that she is not going to leave the hospital. Can you also have them to have Marta to bring Teddy over sometime tomorrow for us to visit with him?"_

Tom nodded,_ "Anything else sir?"_

Fitz thought, _"One more thing. Could you have them to bring Daniel up here to this secured area. I will be taking care of his bill. I want to be able to check on him and I know that he does not have any family left since his mother passed away and he was an only child."_

_"Sure thing"_ Tom responded

Cyrus and Fitz sat in the room for about 30 minutes when Tom opened the door and Karen and Rowan walked in. Karen ran and jumped into Fitz arms. She looked so small to him in that moment. Karen just cried like there was no tomorrow. Her tears sounded like she was in pain. Really she was in pain. He could not tell if it was more physical or emotional. All he could do was hold her.

The scene had everyone around them a little emotional. Fitz had not noticed that Olivia's team was now in the room. Once Karen calmed down a little the next words out of her mouth shocked Fitz.

Karen looked him in the eye,_ "I saw Mellie shoot her. I saw my mom being shot. She was coming for me and instead Mellie shot her. I hate Mellie. I told her that you were going to make her suffer slowly. I then told her that you would make sure that her dirty laundry was spilled and her good name was tainted. Then she was going to trial and I want her to get the death penalty so she can lay awake wondering when she was going to take her last breath. I will never forgive her and I need you to make this happen."_

Fitz had never seen Karen so cold. The tone in her voice sounded like ice. He had no problems carrying it out. He had not really thought about Mellie. His concern was initially Karen and then it jumped to Olivia.

He looked at Karen. She was broken. He could tell that while the kidnapping had scared her she would have been able to overcome it with his and Olivia's help. Seeing Olivia shot in front of her. Seeing her mom being shot not knowing whether they would get anymore time together had shattered Karen. Her innocence was gone. The only chance to save any of it was if Olivia somehow pulled through.

Fitz looked at Karen,_ "Ladybug how about we worry about mom now. I promise that Mellie will be taken care of. (He looked up at Rowan as he finished his sentenced and nodded) Uncle Cy is here but he is going to be doing a lot of my duties so I can concentrate on you and mom now. I have a couple of my friends who are going to work on her and try and make sure she comes back to us healthy."_

Karen looked at him and nodded. She never let go of him. She was no longer the teenage Karen. She was a little girl who was lost. He hated Mellie all the more in that moment.

Everyone sat around making small talk while waiting to get an update on Olivia. About one hour after Olivia first arrived to the hospital Derek and Meredith walked in the room. They greeted Fitz and Fitz introduced them to everyone in the room. He informed them that they were Olivia's family so they needed to hear everything that was going on with Olivia.

They all sat down and Derek spoke to the group.

_"Right now we have stabilized Olivia. We are going to be taking her to surgery soon and try to relieve some of the pressure on her brain. She was shot in the temporal lobes. The next 72 hours are going to be the most critical for her. She will be in an induced coma which will allow her body to start to heal. The other bullet went in her shoulder and that is also going to be removed during surgery also. If it is okay with you and I think it would be easier that when you release your first statement just indicate that she was shot twice. We can make arrangements for either myself, Meredith, or Owen to do a more detailed news conference once we have her stabilized. She is young and healthy at 36 so that works in her favor. We are going to take care of her. I will do my best to give you back the woman you love and the mom to your children. The boss to her team. A daughter back to her father."_

Fitz heard his last sentence and he broke down. He was trying to be strong for Karen but he failed. The sob that was coming from him was breaking everyone apart in the room even Huck. No one knew what to do. Abby had taken Karen who was falling apart in her arms. Fitz was lost. He had never thought about his future without Olivia. This was why. The thought of his future without her shattered him. Nothing was helping.

Rowan stepped over to Fitz. Cyrus moved to allow him room.

Rowan leaned down,_ "Fitz I need you to be strong now. Olivia needs you. Karen needs you. We all need you. I need you. My daughter had all but walked away from me. I had ruined her but you came into her life and saved her even from herself. As much as I have done to keep you two apart you never demanded that she cut me off. You would have supported her if she did, but never was that your way to be done with me. She stood up for you on that plane. She gave me the choice. I could have a family or the both of you would be my enemy but the key word was together. Now I have a family. I have a daughter, and two grandchildren, and a son."_

Fitz looked up at Rowan. Rowan continued to speak...

_"Everyone in this room means something to Olivia, but we all know that any chance she has to make it out of this is with you by her side. We will be here for you. All of you. I just need you to fight for her. We will take care of everything else."_

Fitz nodded. He knew what he meant by everything else. Fitz looked up at Derek.

_"Can Karen and I see her for a moment before you take up for surgery?"_

Derek responded, _"She is being prepped now as time is critical but you can see her for a quick second as we are wheeling her up."_

Fitz stood up and Karen walked into his arms. They followed Derek and Meredith. When they turned the corner and seen Olivia Fitz gasped.

He could see the blood all over her. Some of it dried. You could barely recognize her as she looked swollen. She had bandages everywhere.

He grabbed Karen's hand and stepped over to her,_ "Livvie its me. I am not sure if you can hear me but I have Karen with me. We need you to get better. You are the glue that holds this family together. We need you. I need you. I am not going anywhere. I love you baby and I can't wait to see those beautiful brown eyes again soon. I love you so much."_

Derek stepped up to Fitz. We have to take her.

Fitz nodded. They took Olivia away. As Fitz was walking away he noticed something on the floor. Somehow in trying to stabilize Olivia her infinity ring that he had bought her years ago had fallen off. He grabbed it and stuffed it in his pocket.

Fitz and Karen were taken back to the waiting area. Tom had brought in the bags that he requested. He told him that Dr. Hunt had transferred Daniel to a private room on the other side but on the same floor. They had also turned four of the rooms into regular rooms. The rooms were already suite rooms so they had larger TVs, Blu-Ray, a small couch and full bathrooms in each room. They had regular beds moved into the rooms. They had gotten them for the sleep rooms that the doctor's use.

Fitz thanked him and asked him to put his stuff in one and Karen in the other and the other two could be use by whomever.

Fitz turned to Cyrus._ "Can you set up for me to give a press conference in one hour? It will be live. There will be no questions."_

Cyrus nodded and asked, "_Did you need me to bring a suit over? I can get Abby to write you a statement."_

Fitz shook his head. _"I am not going to wear a suit. I am going to shower and change. I will draft my statement."_

He knew not to argue with Fitz. His tone told him that he was not to be messed with now. Cyrus left the room to go and get everything set up.

Fitz called Olivia team in the room. Once everyone was in the room he began to speak.

_"I am going to make a statement in a hour. Once the statement is released I will not be making another one. Cyrus is going to handle things for a while. I need you guys to handle any fallout. I am not denying Olivia. I will not give a specific timeline but they are going to know she is the love of my life in an hour. They are going to know about what Mellie did. Handle it however you see fit."_

Fitz turned and walked out to the room to get ready. He seen Rowan in the hallway. He looked at Rowan. For the first time Rowan did not see Fitz the dad or Fitz the lover. He seen Fitz the President. The look he gave let you know that you messed with the wrong person.

Fitz stated, _"I agree with Karen. How you handle Edison and Hal I could care less. I do however want Mellie to be questioned slowly and I am sure that some pain will have to be inflicted to get some answers. I then wanted her charged with treason, kidnapping, and attempted murder. I will make sure that David Rosen handles the case himself. I want this to be a death penalty case. You taking care of her behind close doors is too good for her. I know you want to, but if you do that her name and dirty laundry is not aired out. I agree with Karen. I want Mellie to suffer long and hard. She will regret the day that she crossed me. She hurt my child and my woman and now I hurt her. I need you to make arrangements for me to see her, but it has to wait until I know that Livvie is out the woods."_

Rowan normally would have disagreed but in this instance he agreed with them. Mellie needed to be embarrassed. She needed to suffer. She had never suffered but she was going to. Rowan had Mellie set up in a secure area away from others. Outside of her cell was a TV. He wanted her till the day she died to have to watch Fitz thrive. He felt in time his daughter was going to make it through this. He regretted the comment he made to her about becoming First Lady.

Rowan knew that Fitz would never have Olivia as an ornament just planning parties. He knew that Olivia was going to have a say in this administration. It is why his stance had changed. Fitz loved Olivia for who she was. He always loved that she was smart. He was not threatened by it but embraced it and used it as a way to better himself. He was going to be there behind the scenes making sure that his family remained safe.

Rowan placed a call to make sure that Mellie was near the TV. He was going to visit her after Fitz spoke to the press.

Meanwhile Fitz had went into what was now his temporary room. He took a shower and decided to wear a pair of jeans and a nice button down shirt. He was not going on TV to make a fashion statement. The love of his life was fighting for her life. His daughter was traumatized beyond words. He needed America to know the truth. He was almost ready when he heard a knock at the door. He told them to come in and it was Karen. She was dressed in an outfit that Olivia had recently purchased for her. She was forever ordering clothes and sending them all of them or when they came to visit she would give it to them while they were in Vermont.

Fitz asked, _"Honey why are you dressed so nicely? I want to take a picture so your mom can see it when she wakes up."_

Karen responded, _"Dad I want to stand beside you when you give your statement. Beside they are going to want to know how I am. We can answer that question."_

Fitz agreed.

They walked to the podium that was set up for him to speak. He looked out at the media that was there. He took a moment to compose his emotions before he spoke:

_"Good evening. I am sure that you are all curious about why we are speaking from a hospital and not from the White House. Less than 24 hours ago my daughter Karen was kidnapped. The reason that you are just hearing about this is that it is normally customary to wait 24 hours to report it to the police. Therefore I used resources within my control that found out my daughter had been kidnapped by her biological mother Mellie Grant with the help of Senator Edison Davis and my former SSA Hal Rambert. We were able to rescue her as you can see and she had minor injuries."_

Fitz paused and continued:

_"As you are aware per a leak that I have struck up a romance with my former Communications Director Olivia Pope. Honestly Olivia and I have been in love for some time. She left the White House to allow me time to work on my marriage. I was unable to save my marriage. I wanted to be with the woman who I love. Also the only woman who has taken great interest in my kids. Mellie & I have not been in love for some time. Our marriage was arranged by our families and I accepted that for many years until I found out what true love feels like. Much of what you seen of us was done for the sake of appearance. For that I am sorry to the America people. I am standing in my truth from now on. When Mellie was arrested today for kidnapping Karen she was able to get a gun from a police officer and she shot Olivia Pope twice. Once in the head and the other in the shoulder. She is in surgery now. The team that is treating her will schedule a time to speak with you once they have stabilized Olivia. Mellie Grant has no immunity and will be charged and held accountable for her actions. I ask that you respect now that my children and I need privacy now as we stay by Olivia' side. All other statements & questions can be sent to my office and we will respond to those we see fit."_

Fitz stepped down and walked out the room with Karen. They held each other as they waited to hear an update on Olivia.

It was almost eight hours later before they seen Derek again. When Derek walked in the room everyone stopped what they were doing. He could tell that everyone was holding their breath. Although he knew that everyone was listening he turned and faced Fitz and Karen.

Derek began to speak, _"It was touch and go for a minute. We lost her twice on the table."_

Fitz and Karen began to sob. Derek continued, _"We were able to save her and get both bullets out. She is in critical condition and she is in a coma now. I will say that we for sure will keep her in an induced medical coma for at least a week to allow her brain some time to heal. We will re-evaluate her at that time and go from there. Owen has assigned a group of highly trained nurses to aid in Olivia's care. All of her treatment will come from myself, Meredith, or Owen."_

Derek grabbed Fitz's hand, "_She made it through surgery and that is the hardest part. Now we let her heal and pray that she wakes up and the damage is not too bad."_

Karen had been quiet the whole time. Derek was about to get up when he heard Karen ask him, _"When mom wakes up will she be the same?"_

Derek looked at Karen. He decided to be honest with her. He sat back down beside her and took her hand. She held on like it was what was keeping her alive.

_"Your mom could wake up like her normal self. I do think that she will need some rehab especially for her shoulder. The bullet shattered a bone so she will need some help to get full use back. As far as her brain is concerned she could wake up with minimal problems. She could also have major problems with her memory which could include long and short-term memory. She could have problems with her vision. She could have trouble hearing and possibly even writing. Let's just worry about getting her brain healed and then we will worry about whatever problems might come about."_

Karen thanked him for being honest with her and hugged him. Although Olivia was in a private area he thought that they should lower having a lot of people in there at one time.

Once Derek left he made sure that Olivia was set up in her room. He made sure that her vitals were okay.

Fitz had informed everyone to go and spend time with Olivia. He knew that he was not leaving. He would go last. After Rowan came out he informed Fitz he would be back tomorrow. Fitz knew that Rowan had finally broke down. He decided not to bring it up. He informed him that Karen was still in the room with Liv. He thanked him and went towards Olivia's room

When he got to the door his heart broke at the sight before him. You could barely recognize Olivia. They had shaved off one side of her hair so she only had hair on her left side. That did not matter to him. She could be bald for all he cared. On the bed lay Karen rubbing the side of Olivia's face. He heard her speak.

_"Mommy we are here. I know that this is going to sound selfish but please don't go with Gerry. I need you here. I am not as strong as Gerry and I will not survive without you. Neither would dad. He is trying to be strong but I know him. He is lost. He needs his other half. I am surprised he has not asked for a drink. I use to worry that he drank too much. He only did it to cope. When you came around it became just something he did socially so please come back so he does not go back to drinking. I love you mommy. I need you to help me pick out a college, be there to help me get dad to see I should date, plan my wedding, plan your wedding to dad, give me siblings that are from the two of you. Please come back."_

Fitz turned and ran into Tom. Tom brought him over to sit down. Fitz just held him while he sobbed.

Tom decided to speak, _"Sir both you and Olivia have always treated us with respect. It is the reason I never had a problem helping you two out. I always knew what you had was real. This is going to be a battle but it will be one that you both win. Mellie does not get a say in this family anyone. Anytime you need to breakdown come to me I am here but then you get back up and fight for your family. Fight for her to come back so you can marry her and live the life you wanted with the woman you love. Today was the last day that Mellie has a say in this family. Her voice no longer counts."_

Fitz was comforted by what Tom said. He composed himself and went in the room. Karen had just got out the bed. Honey why don't you head to your room. Elliot will take you over. Tomorrow we will walk down and check on Daniel I had him moved closer to us okay.

Karen hugged him and headed out.

Fitz went over to Olivia. He tried to touch her but for some reason he could not. He just went to the sofa and laid down and looked at her and at the machines that were keeping her alive. For once he had no idea what the future was and that was a scary thought for a man whose whole life had been planned for him.

**A/N-This chapter was hard to write at times. As you can see a plan has been laid out for Mellie. You will see if they decide to carry it out or not. Olivia was seriously injured. I borrowed some more of Shonda's characters to help out for a bit. The big question is will she make it? What will she be like when she wakes up? What do you think America will feel out what Fitz had to say? Next up you will get an update on Olivia. Do you think that she will make it through. Also you will see a showdown of Rowan and Mellie and Fitz heads to see Mellie. Leave me your thoughts and suggestions. I have an outline of where I am going with this but I look at the reviews to see if your thoughts are better than mine.**


	11. Waiting for Olivia

**A/N-Thank you for the reviews that I have received. I try to respond to all of them with either thanks or to answer your questions. Cleo who is a guest who I can not respond to I wanted to thank for their review. To respond to the fact that Derek stated that Mellie was "Fitz's Woman" was not right. I agree but I am writing it from how Derek saw it and not necessarily was the situation. As always let me know what you think. Some of what you are about to read is real so take that into account. Remember that the characters belong to Shonda.**

A month has passed and Olivia is still in a coma. She was no longer in a medically induced coma. It has been a rough month for everyone but especially for Karen and even more so for Fitz.

If there was any questions to whether he really loved Olivia those questions had been answered. He lived, breathed, and worked from the hospital.

Olivia had several seizures during the first two weeks that she was in the hospital. Fitz had tried to go home, but after she had the second seizure he just stayed at the hospital. Every night he would sleep on the sofa in her room. During the day he would spend it either in his temporary room or the conference room that had been temporarily turned into his office.

Cyrus had taken on many of the responsibilities. Fitz was still the President and he knew Olivia would not want him doing nothing. During the day he would do his briefs and all of his meetings were set up for teleconference. Cyrus was doing all the travel if it was something that they had to attend.

The public received his relationship with Olivia really well. OPA had went on a media blitz including a sit down interview that Fitz and Karen did from the hospital. The doctors provided updates on Olivia's condition. Karen gushing over Olivia was played non-stop after their interview. Fitz dedication to Olivia was not unnoticed either. Everyone was rooting for Olivia. The outpouring was coming in from all over the world. They received thousands of cards, gifts, and well wishes all over the world. Olivia was famous in her own right for helping many people get out of a tough situation. Now she was the Famous First Girlfriend and everyone wanted her to pull through so they could see them together.

Rowan visited Olivia often. It was obvious that guilt was eating at him at times. He would never forgive himself if he was never able to be a good father to Olivia. He would always talk to her about what the world was saying about her. He would tell her he loved her which he never use to do. He would give her updates on Fitz, Karen, and Teddy. He would always say that they were looking after them until she got better.

Fitz was starting to get restless and he was beginning to wonder if there was not more that they could do for Olivia so Fitz asked to speak to Derek when he got a moment. He had worked on briefs for a couple of hours when Derek came in.

Derek opened up the door, _"Fitz you requested to see me."_

_"Yes Derek come on in. Have a seat wherever you can find one."_

Fitz asked as soon as he was settled,_ "Please don't take this as an accusation that I think that you are not doing your job, but I am concerned that Olivia has not woken up. Is there anymore that can be done? Money is no object."_

Derek looked at Fitz. He knew that his friend was trying to keep it together, but seeing Olivia in that bed was slowly breaking him down. Fitz was the one to give Olivia her baths each night. He had bought her silk pajamas when they had taken her off some of the machines. He brushed her hair and washed it once a week with Karen. He read to her every night. Derek knew that Fitz thought he was doing something wrong.

Derek began, _"Fitz from a medical standpoint there is nothing more that can be done. At this point it is a wait and see if she will wake up. I think that you should talk to her like she is here. A lot of people swear that brings people back. There is no scientific or medical evidence to say that is true. We have done MRI's and it does not show any more damage to the brain. I know that's you want to hear that we can do something more medically. I know that money is not an object. Right now it is in God's hand and hopefully in time she will come back to you."_

Fitz had silent tears coming down his face. He nodded at Derek.

_"Olivia is my heart. She is going to be my wife. If she comes back to me I will be a happy man. I don't care how God sends her back to me I just want her. When she is well enough I am going to propose. Life is too short. If Olivia needs round the clock care then I am giving up being the President. She is that important."_

Derek looked up at Fitz in shock. He knew that Fitz loved Olivia, but this was a whole other level of love. He was head over heels in love with Olivia. He could not have been any happier for his friend. He would do everything in his power to try to help Olivia heal if she woke up.

**Meanwhile(Olivia is still in a coma so this conversation is going on in her head)**

Olivia felt like she was in a light sleep and she could not wake up. She seen her family and friends stay by her side. She felt Fitz taking care of her. She saw her father being emotional which she had never seen. She knew that he was taking care of everything. It was the most peace that she ever felt. Part of her wanted to stay that way forever.

She was surprised that America supported her so much. They always kept her TV on the news. At least if she woke up she knew that her and Fitz would be okay. She knew that she was going to be with her family. Now she just had to figure out why she was still in this state and if she was ever going to wake up. Then she turned and it was one of her favorite people.

_"Hi Gerry, how are you bud?_

_"I see that you are still here."_

_"I am still here. I am not really sure why."_

"_You are in the in between place. You have to decide whether you are going to walk through the door and stay with me or turn around and go back to dad and your family."_

_"I am not sure what to do. Being here is so peaceful. There is no drama to deal with. I do however miss your dad and sister so very much. Marta brings Teddy everyday and they lay him down with me. I think there is an opportunity to have a good life on the other side."_

_"Mom, you have fought this for a month. I think that it is long enough for you to decide. The longer you stay in this space it will be harder for you to make it back."_

In the middle of them talking all of a sudden Olivia hears Fitz's Voice. She stops to listen to what he has to say.

**Present time**

Fitz had spoken to Derek. In the back of his mind he already knew what he was going to say but he just needed to hear it. He just missed his sweet baby. Karen and Teddy spent time with Olivia everyday. Teddy was getting bigger and he did not want her to miss anything.

It was nighttime so it was their time together. Tonight he decided that he was going to do something that he had not done before. They had taken many of the machines away so there were not a lot of wires coming out of her now. He was no longer afraid that he would stop her from breathing or that he would injure her more.

Fitz was really careful as he climbed in the bed. He grabbed pulled her legs and pulled them over his legs. He grabbed her fingers and entwined them with his. For a few moments he just looked at her. Finally he found the strength to speak to her.

_"Livvie, its me. I miss you. Never in my life have I missed someone like I miss you in this moment. I want you here for all the little moments. Teddy is getting bigger each day. Karen has matured even more overnight if that is possible. I know this is going to sound funny but when I look at your dad I see a human. You need to come back so you can be a part of it all. Your team is as amazing as you think they are. I just want you to know that I need you. I don't care how you come back to me just please come back. I love you. I am in love with you. When we get you better I am making you mine. I know that you may not want to come to live in the White House. If you come back we can go wherever you want. Seeing you like this day in and day out has humbled me. I have lived a selfish life. I have always loved you but I can not say that I always put you first. I still will fail at times but I will do better and be better for us. I am beginning to think Karen is right I can't do this without you. I am not sure how I did it before. Come back to me. I am not going anywhere."_

Olivia had heard Fitz. Before she could say anything she heard Gerry speak.

_"Mom you have to go back. Now is not your time. You have so much left to do. You have to make sure that Mellie pays for the damage that she has caused. Karen is strong but she has never had a mother. She needs you. Teddy gets a chance to be in a loving two parent household where he can grow and be anything he wants. You finally get Rowan as your dad and not as Command. It can only help you grow. I was blessed to always know that dad loved me and was there for me even when Mellie tried to make us think otherwise. Go back. Be Olivia Pope-Grant. Change the world. Have some babies. Finally live in your truth and get some happy. I am always with you guys. You know I am okay."_

Olivia held Gerry. She knew that she was ready to come back. She now knew it was time for her to fight for her life. She let go of Gerry and walked out the door back to the land of the living.

Fitz had fallen asleep in the bed with Olivia. He thought that he felt her hand move within his, but he thought that he was dreaming so he kept his eyes closed. As he lay there something told him to open them. When he opened his eyes he was met with the surprise of his life.

Olivia spoke, _"Fitz is that you?"_

Fitz stunned at first but finally replied, _"It me Livvie."_

Tears running down her face she reaches up and grabs his face and says,_ "Hi"_

He holds onto her and finally between tears falling says,_ "Hi"_

Fitz continues, _"It is good to have you back!"_

Olivia replies, _"It is good to be back."_ She pauses before she tells Fitz this because she knows it is going to freak him out. _"Honey your face is very blurry I can't see you very well."_

Reality set in quickly. She expected Fitz to freak but was surprised that he was amazingly calm.

Fitz responded,_ "Honey it is going to be okay. I am not going anywhere. I am going to call Derek and Meredith to come up and check you out. We will find out how bad things are and go from there."_

Fitz carefully untangled himself from Olivia to call Derek. Before he could get all the way up Olivia grabbed his arm. He turned around.

Olivia said,_ "One minute."_

Fitz grabbed her face so she could at least feel him and said, _"One Minute"_

Fitz was looking at Olivia thankful that she was now awake but worried about what her recovery was going to be. He had not thought about this much as he was just trying to get her to wake up. Now that time was here.

After a minute he went over to the phone and called Derek and informed him that Olivia was awake. Since it was in the evening him and Meredith were not at the hospital. He asked him to give them 30 minutes to get there. He agreed.

After he hung up. Fitz went over and explained who Derek and Meredith were. A few times when he was talking she asked him to speak up. He was not talking low so that kind of concerned him but he did not comment. After a short time Derek and Meredith walked in the room. They informed Fitz they were going to check Olivia out and take her to get scans and as soon as they finished they would bring him back to the room to give him an update.

They were gone with Olivia for some time. At first he was going to call and tell everyone but he did not want to overwhelm her. He decided to see where she was and then make some calls. The nurses had brought Olivia back to the room and told her that the doctors would be with them shortly.

Derek had come back in the room to give the update. He moved over to Olivia's left ear because he knew she would hear him out of that ear.

Derek explained, _"The scans show that the seizures that Olivia had earlier in the month did not cause any lasting damage that they could find at this time. She is however has a disability face blindness and is likely to have problem recognizing objects. She has some hearing loss in the right ear. We have not determined if that is permanent or not. We tested Olivia's memory and now all her long-term memory is there. She is struggling with short-term memory and understanding new memories. That was determined when she would try to write something that we said she was not able to keep it. Her hands and legs are weak from not using them but I think that with hard work and therapy she can recover from this. Although it will not happen in one day."_

Fitz asked,_ "Do we need to move her to a rehab center?"_

Derek responded,_ "Typically yes but considered that you are paying for this whole floor we can set up everything here. I can give you suggestions on who you should bring in."_

Fitz jumped in, _"Can you tell me who is the best and then let's go ahead and get them vetted to work with her as soon as possible?"_

Derek responded, _"Meredith thought that is what you would say so she is placing some calls now. She is trying to see who is available to spend time primarily with Olivia. She will give Tom the list in the morning to check out."_

Fitz replied, "_Tell them I will pay them compensation for just working with Olivia. I don't want them to lose their livelihood by working with us."_

Derek,_ "Okay but I am sure that will not be a problem. We have kind of being planning for this. We just needed Olivia to wake up to see what services she would need."_

Fitz walked over to Olivia and Derek moved out the way. He wanted to include Olivia in her care. She was not an invalid.

Fitz leaned over, _"Sweet baby do you have any questions for Derek?"_

She responded, _"No but thank you for the care that you have provided. I hope that I have not been a bother. Please ask your wife to find people who are going to work me. I need to get back to my family."_

Derek smiled,_ "Olivia it has been a pleasure to take care of you. I want to save all of my patients but I or rather we as a team needed to save you. Not because Fitz is the president and you are Olivia Pope. We needed to save Liv, Livvie, Mom, Daughter, and friend that people look to you as."_

Olivia and Fitz began to cry. Derek stepped out the room to give them privacy. Olivia was in pain especially her shoulder so they had put pain medicine in her IV. It was beginning to kick in.

Olivia asked Fitz to hold her. As she was falling asleep she told Fitz

_"I came back because I want everything that you want. I heard you talking to me. I want that life with you. I want to me a mom and a wife. We are not giving up this Presidency. Mellie does not get a say in our family anymore. Please be patient with me. I am worth it. Once I get better then we conquer the world together."_

Fitz knew the road would be long and hard but that is life. He was ready to fight. Now that Olivia was awake and they knew what they were dealing with it was time for him to fight. Tomorrow he would allow everyone to spend time with Olivia and he was headed to the Pentagon to see Mellie.

Fitz called Tom in the room and asked him to set the meeting up. He asked him to wake him at six instead of seven so he could prepare to tell everyone that Olivia was awake. He wanted to give them an update on her condition and treatment plan.

**A/N-So I did not kill Olivia. I could never do that. I also did not give her the miracle wake up. Now the question is how do you think that she will recover? Is it going to cause any issues with her friends and family? Next up in addition to seeing how Olivia is doing is the showdown that has been a month in the making which is Fitz and Mellie. What do you think is going to happen?**


	12. Olivia's Homecoming

**A/N-So I am in the writing spirit now and I want to run with it while it is fresh. Thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming. Sorry for any grammar errors that I have missed. I am going to jump ahead. This chapter is going to discuss Olivia's progress over the last three months with flashbacks of what has taken place. Remember all characters belong to Shonda.**

When everyone found out that Olivia was out of her coma and was going to live everyone was happy. Fitz had brought them all together and Derek went over what was going on with Olivia and what he needed from them to help her recover. Everyone was emotional and handled it in their own way.

Derek had done some research on Olivia when she became his patient. He honestly did not know much about her. He had never ran into any trouble where he would have needed her. It had also just leaked that her and Fitz were getting together. Fitz and Derek did not see each other as often as they would have liked so it was possible that it could have been years before he would have seen Olivia Pope in person. He knew that this was a woman who prided that she could handle herself. Therefore he insisted that in her recovery that they not treat her like she was crippled.

He wanted them to talk to her like normal. Obviously her hearing was better on one side than the other. Until she was able to recognize faces and get her vision back which he felt she would gain that they allow her to feel them. Describe themselves to her until she could see them again. Although her hands and legs were weak they needed to allow her to try to gain her independence back.

It took a week to get everything set up. She had several therapists that were there to help her learn to do everything again. Dr. Sherry had come down to work with Fitz, Karen, and Olivia to get through everything that had taken place.

Finally at the end of the first week they decided to let the public know that Olivia was out of the coma. The medical team set up a conference and they updated everyone on Olivia's condition. Fitz and Karen spoke about just having Olivia back with them. They were not ready to release a picture. Olivia wanted to allow her hair to grow some on the side that was shaved so that weave could be added and then she was going to cut it. She did not want to sound vain, but was not ready for anyone outside of her family and the doctors to see her.

The next three months were filled with mostly highs. Olivia worked hard from day one to get back to her normal self. They had to go in and do a minor procedure on her ear drum. Once it healed she was able to hear out the ear about the same as she had before. Her vision did return but it was very blurry until month two when things were more clear. She know had to either wear glasses or contacts now which she had not before. She still had issues with identifying objects and people at times but she had progressed from where she started. She still had some short-term memory loss and there were times where she did not keep things that were told to her.

During this time Fitz remained at her side. During the day her team was there to help out. Her dad still came several times a week. They would talk sometimes and other times he would be per partner in therapy. Fitz had gotten Karen into a routine so she went to school everyday and she came to the hospital twice during the week. Fitz and Olivia insisted that she continue her after school programs and soccer. She was allowed to spend the weekends at the hospital. Marta continued to bring Teddy everyday and he stayed at the hospital on the weekends with them. That was family time and no one came other than them on the weekends. As Olivia got better Teddy started to stay at nights. You could tell Olivia enjoyed being able to take care of him. He called her mama. She wanted to care for him without help from anyone.

The silent issue that no one knew how to discuss was Fitz was working himself into the ground. He was still running the country. He was back to traveling if the trip was overnight. Cyrus tried to take the load from him as much as possible but it was like Fitz was on a mission to prove he could handle anything that was thrown at them. While he left others help in Olivia's recovery he made sure that everything was done with him initially there. He needed to make sure that he could care for her when she was released.

Fitz was always honest in the sessions with Dr. Sherry but Olivia was becoming concerned that he went from being a man who was selfish at times to a man who no longer did anything for himself. His life was built around her, the kids, the country, and her family which he now had taken under his wing.

Daniel was in the hospital for almost two months. Fitz was quietly taking care of Daniel. Daniel had no family as he was an only child and once his mother passed away there was no one. Daniel was young. He was only 24 years old. He almost died because it was his job to protect his daughter. While being a SSA did not come with the worst salary it was not a lot considering the debt that he had taken on trying to take care of his mother as she was fighting cancer. He reminded him of Gerry. Some may consider it a project because he lost his son and it could be but he was going to make sure that Daniel was taken care of. Before he was released Fitz had purchased him a luxury townhouse in a better part of town. He still required some care so Fitz was going to pay for his care.

It was interesting that Fitz had not talked about how everything that had happened affected him. Olivia knew that they needed to talk about this, but she did not want to include Dr. Sherry on this. She did not want to put him on the spot. She did not want Fitz to think that she did not appreciate the effort that he was putting in. She just needed him to slow down before he had a heart attack.

The day had arrived that she was being released from the hospital. They had decided that they would do a sit down interview to show Olivia to the public as well as to formally introduce them as a couple. As Olivia had gotten better Fitz had taken her out on dates outside of the hospital. They were still private but it was what she wanted as she continued to heal. She really enjoyed being with him. Her hair had grown out enough that they had added weave and then cut it into a bob. High school was the last time that her hair was that short but it still looked good on her.

Karen & Olivia were obsessed with the hit show Scandal. Karen always joked that she reminded her of Kerry and her dad reminded her of Fitz. Karen had informed her that she had the perfect outfit for her. Karen had become the fashionista over the years with her help so she was really excited to see what she had for her to wear. Just as she completed her thought Karen walked in the room with a bag.

Olivia looked up, _"Hi Sweetie what is in the bag?"_

Karen replied, _"Well during the time that you were in the coma you were receiving gifts from all over the world. This one however is special. It was sent from Kerry Washington. She also sent you a personal note that I left at home for you to read in your own time. She found out that we love the show and she sent you a couple of pieces from the collection that she help design based on the show. I thought that you would like this piece."_

Karen opened the bag and it was a Tulip Skirt Sheath Dress. Olivia loved the dress. It was right for the occasion.

Olivia changed into the dress and finished her make up. When she walked out Fitz was in the room. She asked them how she looked.

They smiled and replied,_ "Perfect"_

Olivia liked and trusted Kimberly Mitchell so she was given the exclusive rights to several interviews with them. The first one being tonight.

The first part of the interview was being done from the hospital so that Kimberly could speak with the medical staff and get an understanding of the last four months of their life.

They completed the interview at the hospital and they managed to get them out without the media seeing them. They were headed to the White House to do the second part of the interview from Blair House.

Kimberly Mitchell and her team were getting everything set up to begin the interview. Kimberly always respected Olivia Pope for many reasons. Both of them were woman of color who worked hard to create successful careers. Kimberly always liked that Olivia was respectful. She demanded respect but she also gave respect.

When she found out Olivia had been shot she was devastated. She was excited to hear that Olivia had survived. She was shocked to get a call from Olivia personally giving her exclusives to some upcoming events that the White House was planning.

Olivia and Fitz had arrived at Blair House. Fitz was always checking to make sure that Olivia was okay. He did not want to run herself too thin. He made sure that she had taken her meds when it was time. In the past Olivia would have found this annoying but for some reason she did not. Maybe because she felt like he was doing it from a place of love and no so much as control. She was still concerned about him but every time she tried to make sure he was okay he would always answer that as long as she and the kids were fine so was he.

When Tom took them into Blair House Fitz had received a call that he had to take. It gave Olivia a few minutes to herself. Tom had stayed in the room with her. She thought she would see if Tom would tell her anything.

Olivia approached Tom,_ "Tom I know that everyone has been concerned about me. I appreciate it, but I am concerned that Fitz is running empty. Can you tell me how he really is? Please don't sugarcoat it."_

Tom nodded,_ "Ms. Pope I can tell you that you being shot changed the President. It seems like he is a man on a mission. I am not sure how to describe the change. I never looked at him as selfish except when it came to you. However you being shot I think he has taken on more blame than necessary. I think in his mind he is trying to right every wrong that he made even if he was not wrong. He can't bear the thought of you, the kids, your dad, or your team to be let down or harm to come to you. I guess at the end of the day Mellie being able to bring the harm she did he is taking it personally as if he had a hand in it. He has not stopped. I don't think that he has had a relaxing moment since Karen was kidnapped and then the next day you were shot."_

Olivia nodded as she took in what Tom said. _"Thank you Tom."_

Olivia knew that she was going to have to do something before Fitz dropped. Before she could really think anymore she heard foot steps.

Fitz came into the room, _"Kimberly is ready for us."_

Olivia and Fitz walked in the room. Kimberly made sure they were okay before turning on the cameras.

_"This is Kimberly Mitchell and I am at Blair House speaking with President Fitzgerald Grant and for the first time he is with the First Girlfriend Olivia Pope. For those of you that have been under a rock four months ago Olivia Pope was shot after she went to pick up President Grant daughter Karen Grant who had been kidnapped. "_

Kimberly turned to the President and Olivia.

Kimberly_:" Thank you for inviting me."_

President & Olivia: "_Good to see you Kimberly."_

Kimberly: _"Let's get started. So four months ago we found out that the two of you had started dating but before we could see the two of you together Olivia was shot. President how has this been for you?"_

President_: "I don't think there are words to express what that time was like. I went from worrying about the well-being of my daughter to worrying if I was ever going to get the life with a woman who I am in love with."_

Kimberly: _"Why did you tell the public about your relationship when she was shot? You had no idea what the outcome was going to be."_

President:_ "True, but she is the love of my life. My children looked to her as a mother figure. I knew I needed to be here with her, and I refused to deny her. I went on the belief that she was coming back to us, and when she did I wanted her to know that I was not ashamed of us. She is my future and I needed everyone to know that."_

Kimberly: _"Olivia what has this been like for you? Your private life is something that we rarely see so I am sure that this has been hard."_

Olivia: _"Kimberly, I think being shot and surviving is hard. I thought that I was strong but I really found my strength trying to recover from being shot. This has been a piece of cake being open. Beside I know who I am in love with. I rather be behind the scene but I know that being with Fitz requires me to do things that I am not always comfortable with. I am fine with that because I love this man and I know there is nothing he would not do for me."_

Kimberly: _"Can you tell us a little about your treatment and recovery?"_

Olivia:_ "It has been a tough road. I was shot in the head and the shoulder. I suffered some vision and hearing issues that are better. I had to learn a lot of basic things again such as walking, talking, some minor speech issues. I am still healing but my recovery would not have been possible without the man sitting beside me."_

Olivia grabs Fitz's hand.

Kimberly: _"How so?"_

Olivia: _"I have been in love with Fitz for a long time. I am an independent woman so I know that I was a handful to deal with at times. There was never a time that Fitz or Karen or the rest of my family has not been there for me. Even when the news was not good Fitz remained at my side. We are not married so he had no obligation to me. There was no till death do us part. When I was in a coma he was the one who took care of me. The nurses told me that he was the one who handled all my personal needs. I am not sure if he was not around that I would have survived."_

Kimberly: _"President Grant, I know that this is a tough subject but it is public record that your ex-wife Mellie Grant was involved in the kidnapping of your daughter and she was the one who shot Olivia. How have you dealt with that?"_

Fitz paused thinking about Mellie.

**Flashback-(3 months ago when Olivia woke from her coma)**

Once Olivia was occupied with her team he had Tom & Jason take him to the Pentagon where Rowan was waiting for him. He was immediately taken back to a room where a woman was sitting in the corner.

When the cell door opened Fitz walked in. Mellie lifted her head. He almost did not recognize her. Her hair was curly and dry. There was a bruise around her eye that was healing. She had a busted lip. You could tell that she had lost weight because the orange jump suit was baggy. Orange was really not her color.

It made Fitz smile. Rowan brought her to a seat in front of him.

Fitz said, _"Mellie I see you still don't know how to keep your mouth shut. From the reports that I have received it looks like the female guards are teaching you who is boss."_

_"Fitz what are you here for, to gloat?"_

Fitz laughed, _"Oh no you see the party is just getting started. I just wanted you to know the specifics."_

Fitz continued, _"You see now is the time for you to understand that you fucked with the wrong one. I know that you remember Rowan. I think that you remember him when he worked for Homeland years ago. I bet you didn't know he has a family."_

Millie careful with the way that she spoke, _"Sorry what does that have to do with me?"_

Fitz laughed,_ "Oh this has been what I have waited for. The look on your face."_

"_He turned to Rowan and said you have a daughter that we did not know about when you were introduced to us years ago, isn't that correct?"_

Rowan responded, _"That is correct Mr. President."_

Fitz, _"I think you should tell Mellie who your daughter is?"_

Rowan said, _"With pleasure sir. My daughter's name is Olivia Carolyn Pope."_

When Mellie heard him say Olivia Pope she jumped up. Rowan quickly pushed her down. Mellie was knew she was dead but why had she not been killed yet?

Rowan responded,_ "After some physical persuasion Hal & Edison turned on you. They will be testifying against you at trial. Personally I wanted to kill you for what you did but I have to agree that the President's plan is way more fun."_

Fitz still laughing, _"You know Mellie for someone so smart you are dumb as shit. You have millions of dollars. You have a law degree, but you thought you were going to take Olivia & I down. Instead we are going to take you down. I want you to heal some more and Olivia still needs to heal. Then you are going to be tried for kidnapping, attempted murder, and treason. There is no plea deal that is being offered. We are going for the death penalty. Oh I am going to air all your dirty laundry. Then I am going to be there when Karen & Olivia testify. Finally, when they find you guilty I am going to tell the world about the ice queen bitch of an ex-wife and mother you are. If I am around when they are ready to stick a needle in your arm. I am going to have a front row seat."_

Fitz stood, _"You don't rule shit. You didn't make me. I made you. Without me and having the Grant name you would have never been relevant. I made sure your cell was in front of the TV so you could have a front row seat to your demise. I also wanted you to enjoy my rise with Olivia. I hope she agrees to a televised wedding. If not you can see the photos that we decide to release to the media. Oh and our babies. I just can't wait. Well if you didn't know Olivia has woken up from her coma. She still has a long recovery but that she is alive is enough for me. Enjoy the rest of your miserable life."_

**Present**

President: _"Mellie has caused this family a lot of emotional trauma. She no longer has a say in our family. Mellie is being charged for the crimes that she committed. I plan to make sure that justice is served for Karen and Olivia. They are my priority."_

Kimberly:_ "What does the future hold for the two of you?"_

Fitz was really nervous to answer the question. He did not want to say anything that upset Olivia. Before he could say anything he heard Olivia speaking.

Olivia: "_Right now we are working on spending time together as a couple and as a family. Then from there you should expect to see a proposal, wedding, and children down the line. We will also spend the remaining time that FItz is in office trying to make this country better."_

President: _"I second all of that..."_

Kimberly: _"Thank you President Grant and Olivia for sitting down and talking with me. I pray that your recovery continues to go well."_

President & Olivia: _Thank you Kimberly_

Olivia & Kimberly spent a few minutes together after the interview was over. She informed her that they would get together soon.

Olivia was exhausted once everyone left. Fitz could tell because by the look in her eyes. He knew that Olivia wanted everyone over for dinner tonight so he had to get her to take a nap or at least lay down.

"_Livvie"_

Olivia turned around to look at Fitz

Fitz said, _"We have been going non-stop. Why don't you head to our bedroom and take a nap before dinner?"_

Olivia nodded and said, _"Only if you join me."_

Fitz nodded. They headed to their bedroom. It was the first time that Olivia had been in this part of the residence. Out of respect for Mellie she had never been in their bedroom other than the time she picked clothes out for Mellie when Fitz was shot.

When she walked in the bedroom she noticed that the room had been redecorated. It reminded her a lot of her bedroom but on a larger scale. She could tell that Fitz had her in mind. Just another reason to love him.

She had not had a chance to go to her apartment to get any of her clothes.

Fitz knew what she was thinking so he said,_ "Check your closet."_

Olivia turned around and looked at Fitz. Slowly she walked over to the closet that she remembered where Mellie's clothes were.

The closet had been redone and now had a sitting area. She noticed her clothes were already there, but a whole new wardrobe was added that included skirts, skirt suits, and dresses. She also noticed jewelry that she knew she had not had before.

Olivia was overwhelmed. Fitz had thought of everything. She loved the new closet. It was every girl's dream.

Fitz interrupted her thoughts, "_Abby & I had your personal things brought up. Everything else had been put in storage. Nothing was thrown out. If you need anything or you are not happy let me know and I can fix it. I hope that I did not over step my boundaries."_

Olivia turned around with tears in her eyes. She walked over to Fitz and grabbed his hand. She brought him over to the sofa in their room. She had to talk to him. She just prayed that it would come out the right way.

Olivia looked at Fitz,_ "Everything that you have done has been perfect. I could not have asked for you to do any more than you are doing. Honey, I am worried about you. From the moment I woke up from the coma I have not seen you take a moment for yourself. I appreciate all that you are doing but I am back. I am not going anywhere. We are in this together. I need you to take a moment for you."_

Fitz jumped up,_ "Olivia I am fine. I am doing what I should have done years ago. If I had been a man then maybe you would have never been shot. Karen would not have been kidnapped. Some nights she can barely sleep. I had to resort to allowing her to take something to sleep. She is so worried about something happening to us. I am being the man you want and need me to be for this family. One that you will respect, one that your dad will find worthy of his daughter, the man of the people. I am fine Livvie."_

Olivia stood up. _"I disagree that you are fine. You can not be everything to everyone. You need to be you. The man whose lap I was in before I left to get Karen was fine. The issues we had we were working on them. I was happy with that man. I appreciate you trying to be everything to everyone but that only works for so long before you are tired. I need you. I want to marry you, raise a family with you. retire in Vermont with you. The stress is too much Fitz. Please slow down."_

Fitz stood. _"Get some rest Olivia. I will go make sure that everything is ready for tonight. I love you. I'm fine."_

Before Olivia could say anything else Fitz was at the door. Before he could open the door he clutched his chest and dropped to the floor.

**_FITZ, FITZ, Oh my God! Tom get in here. Call the doctor..._**

A/N- **I know that you guys are going to kill me. They can't catch a break. Tell me your thoughts. Good thing is that I am already working on the next chapter. What happened to Fitz? Leave me your thoughts...**


	13. Change is not Always Good

**A/N-I can not thank you enough for the reviews, the follows, and the favorites. I have been able to keep this up with the help of you guys so thanks. Cleo and Shon thanks for your reviews. You are signed in as guest so I can not send you anything directly but I want you to know that I see you.**

Tom heard Olivia screaming for help and a doctor. He had radioed for the White House Doctor to come to the Residence immediately.

Tom was barely able to get the door opened because Fitz was slumped over. Olivia was trying to move him but she did not have the strength.

Tom picked Fitz up and brought him to the bed. He looked at Fitz and could tell that his skin was clammy. He did not look good at all.

Olivia was freaking out. He had to get her out the room and calmed down or she was going to pass out. By this time Jason was in the room. He nodded to Tom that he had the President so Tom could take care of Olivia.

Tom practically dragged Olivia out of the room. She was now screaming and beating Tom on his chest.

Crying Olivia said, _"I need to be in there with him Tom. He needs me."_

Tom replied, _"Ms. Pope let the doctor check him out. We may have to take him to the hospital but I will make sure that you go with him. I need you to calm down because if you get sick it won't help the situation out."_

Olivia was still crying but she calmed down some.

_"It is my fault. I just asked him to slow down some. He is killing himself because of me."_

Tom replied,_ "I agree that he may be over doing it but it is not your fault. This man has waited almost five years for you. He is just worried about doing things right. We can fix this."_

Rowan walked in the door. Jason had called him when everything took place. Tom got up to allow Rowan to sit down. He informed them that he was going to go get them an update on the President.

Olivia was still crying so Rowan held her for a few minutes before asking her what was going on.

Olivia responded, _"Daddy he is killing himself. Today I just noticed how Fitz does not seem to even take a moment for himself. I tried to talk to him. He said he was fine. He is so worried about me, the kids, trying to keep your respect, the respect of my team, and being a good President that he is no longer on the list of things to take care for. Fitz used to be a little selfish but it was nothing that I was upset about. Now it is like he is not human. He is killing himself daddy. I think he almost feels like he had a hand in what happened to Karen & I don't know what to do."_

Rowan held Olivia and listened to what she said. He knew that he had blame in this. He had never sat down and told Fitz how he felt since the kidnapping and shooting happened. They had both did their jobs to protect the republic. They were caring for Olivia. He now realizes that Fitz took that as he was to blame. He also felt that Fitz might be trying to please Command and not Daddy and they were not the same people.

Rowan had to be honest and say that when it first happened that he was upset with FItz because Mellie was his ex-wife. He then realized that was not fair. Fitz had never denied Olivia. He had taken care of Olivia like she was awake the entire time. He paid for top-notch care. This was a man in love. No one would treat his daughter better.

Rowan thought about how he was always making sure that Olivia's team was taken care of. He would refer people to call OPA when they needed help. He took care of the kids. Cyrus was there to help but he was no free-loader he was still running the country. He knew that he was going to have to talk to Fitz man to man. Fitz had never had a father who cared about him. He was not a decent one until recently, but he felt that he was given the chance to do right by his family and he would. Fitz was his son.

Rowan finally spoke,_ "Liv, I know that you are worried. I should have noticed the changes but I think we all got wrapped up in your care. We will take care of Fitz. When he is able to talk I want you to just go in there and be his woman. Love him. He misses you. He has not had that physical connect with you in four months. I think he is still worried that this is a dream. Let me talk to him about slowing down some. He needs to know I will respect him even if he is a little selfish. He needs more than the love of his girlfriend and kids. That is a given. We will take care of him. I look forward to walking you down the aisle and seeing you pregnant. It is going to be okay_."

Olivia just held him. She was thankful that she got her dad after all these years. She could have been petty and held his past actions against him. Life was too short for that. Some never got the love of their parents. Beside now that her life was coming together it was no better time for him to be around.

Tom came out and asked Olivia to come back to the room that the doctor wanted to speak to her.

Olivia headed back to the room. When she walked in the room they had taken Fitz dress shirt and jacket off. He just had on a white T-shirt. She was surprised to see him sleep.

Dr. Johnson explained,_ "Ms. Pope the President had a stress attack. The reason that he is sleeping is that I gave him something to force him to sleep. His body needs rest. His blood pressure is through the roof and it had been the last couple of times that I seen him. We are going to have to put him on medicine to get in under control. Otherwise he could have other issues. He has not been sleeping well since the kidnapping and shooting. We offered to give him a sleep aid but he was concerned that he would sleep and miss something with you or not being able to spend time with the kids. I would say he sleeps at most four hours a night. I would suggest taking a month away. I am sure that you could use an extra month away and he needs it."_

Olivia thanked the doctor. He provided her his private cell so that she could reach him whenever.

Once he left the room Olivia turned to Tom_ "Can you please call down and let the staff in Vermont know that we will be down this weekend and we will be there for the month?_

Tom nodded, _"I will get it taken care of. Do you know about Daniel?_

Olivia stopped, _"Yes he did fill me in. Can you make arrangements for him to come down and stay in the guest house with you guys. I will call and get home care set up in Vermont."_

_"Oh Tom can you have Lauren call everyone and cancel dinner tonight. I want him to rest and I just want to spend time with the kids. I will set up for everyone to come down to Vermont one weekend."_

Tom nodded, _"We will take care of everything Ms. Pope."_

_"Thanks Tom for your help and thank you for being our friend. I know that you and Lauren are talking so I will make sure that she comes down to Vermont some. You need to have a life outside of us_."

Tom looked at Olivia in shock. Nothing kept this woman down. He smiled and left the room.

Olivia wanted to get comfortable with Fitz but she knew that she needed to call Karen's school. They were headed on a two-week break soon but she was going to keep her out the entire month. She called the Director who of course was aware of their situation. She explained that Karen was not aware of Fitz's health scare today, but they needed to go away and they did not want to leave Karen in anyone's care. The Director informed Olivia they would sent Karen's assignments once the kids returned from break. All test would be held until she returned. She provided her with their contact information and thanked her for accommodating their situation.

Olivia went into the living room to talk to her dad, but he had left. Jason informed her that he said that he would bring back dinner tonight. He wanted to give you guys some down time to relax. He also knew that you wanted to wanted to talk to Karen.

Olivia thanked Jason and decided to go take a shower and put on some comfortable clothes.

While Olivia was taking her shower she really took the time to think about the last four months. For the first time she realized that she hated Mellie. Her only disdain for Mellie had been how she treated the kids. She never expected Mellie to accept her, but she had practically ruined them.

She had not heard about Mellie and had not asked since she came out of the coma. She knew that she was still alive, but they had not told her anything else. She needed to see Mellie at some point. Right now she wanted to take care of her family. Fitz and the children were her priority.

Fitz had purchased her new pajamas from her favorite store. She noticed that he had added some color to her wardrobe. It was not flashy. She did wear a lot of white. The coral looked good on her. She took her contacts out and put in her glasses. It was an adjustment but nothing that she could not handle.

When she walked out she noticed that Fitz was beginning to wake up.

She went over to the bed and put his head in her lap. She massaged his scalp to keep him calm. He eventually woke up.

Fitz looked at her and smiled, _"The doctor gave me something to sleep didn't he?_

Olivia nodded, "_You needed to sleep. Four hours a day with all that you have going on is not enough. You also have to start taking blood pressure medication."_

Fitz nodded. It was like he had no more fight left and that really bothered Olivia.

Olivia said, _"How about I help you in something more comfortable? You still look sleepy."_

Fitz responded, _"I am."_

Olivia, _"Well let's get you comfortable and you sleep the rest of the medicine off and once you wake up we can eat something."_

Fitz tried to jump up,_ "Olivia, I am so sorry. I know you wanted the dinner. Let me call Lauren to help you."_

Olivia grabbed his face, _"I cancelled the dinner. The doctor requested or I should say demanded you take a break so we are headed to Vermont this weekend with the kids. I agree. You have been going non-stop the last couple of months. I am having Daniel brought down. I know that he is our new adopted child which is fine. The more the merrier. We can pick a weekend to bring everyone down. I have already talked to the school to make sure Karen does not get behind. We need this. I need this. I need to be with my family in peace."_

Fitz looked at her and nodded. He still looked sad like he was letting her down. She knew her dad was going to talk to him, but she needed to say something now. She grabbed his face to he could see her when he spoke.

Olivia began,_ "When I said that the reason I came back was because of you I really meant that. When I was in my coma I could hear everyone. I felt what was going on. I did not know if I wanted to come back. She pauses then continues. The night that you got in the bed with me I was able to really feel you. Knowing that you wanted me back in any way was enough for me. We are not married yet so you had no obligations to me. What you did for me these last four months saved me. It helped me to know I am where I need to be with who I need to be with. We both know that there is nothing we would not do for each other but seeing it brings a whole other level of emotions. In addition you took on my dad and my team. I need you to know that I was okay and I was in love with the old Fitz. I love you even more for putting others before yourself. That is new for you when it is outside of me and the kids.. I love that but I need you to also be selfish sometimes. Because I need you, the kids need you, and everyone else. So we need to find a balance."_

Fitz sat down. He was taking in everything that Olivia had just said to him. He had not noticed that Olivia had went to his closet and retrieved him some sweatpants and a t-shirt to change into. He allowed Olivia to undress him and help change his clothes. He was still lost in his thoughts.

Olivia could tell that for the first time he was really trying to process everything that took place. She could see the pain on his face. She could see the guilt on his face. She wanted and needed for him to share his feelings.

Olivia climbed into his lap. _"Tell me what you are thinking."_

Fitz looked at her. He tried to formulate words but he could not. He felt the tears coming. He tried to hold them back. It was not working. When Olivia turned around to face him he began to sob. She held him. She kept whispering that it was okay and she had him. He had so many emotions going through his head. All he could do was sob.

At some point Fitz had fallen asleep. Olivia was glad that at least she felt he was working through his emotions. She covered him up and went out to spend time with the kids.

She went in the nursery to check Teddy. Marta had informed her that he had went down for a nap about 15 minutes ago. She thanked Marta and told her that she had the rest of the week off. She informed her that they would be traveling to Vermont this weekend and would be gone for a month. She was welcomed to come but she would not have to work very often. Olivia wanted to be Teddy's primary care giver. Olivia informed her she would be paid for the month. If she wanted to stay behind she could and they would call if she was needed.

Marta really cared for Olivia. Olivia treated her with respect. She never looked down on her like Mellie did. Marta typically did not say much. Part of it was out of fear and the other part was she was not sure if it was her place. For some reason she felt comfortable talking with Olivia.

Marta spoke,_ "I just want to thank you for the way that you treat me. I know I am the hired help. The President has always treated me kind but with his job we did not interact as often as I did with Mellie. I just want you to know that I prayed for you. I wanted you to come back. You are important to Fitz, Karen, and Teddy but there are so many others that love and need you. You remind me of my niece. I never got to have children which is why I chose to become a nanny. I have no close family. This job is all I have now so if it is okay. I would like to travel and I can help out in whatever duties you need me to."_

Olivia looked at Marta with tears in her eyes_ "I know that I demand respect but I do that because I give respect. Thank you for your prayers and your love. Thank you for the help that you have provided this family. I lost my mom at 12 so having you around is nice in more ways that one. I would love for you to come to Vermont, but I want you to relax. Use this time to read, sleep, eat, shop. I was unaware that you had no family around, but this family is your family. I want to be the children's primary caregiver as their mom but your help is always needed. They don't have grandparents so you can be a surrogate grandmother."_

Marta nodded,_ "It would be my pleasure."_

Just as they were finish talking Olivia could hear Karen heading towards her room.

Olivia walked to her room and peeked her head in_ "Hi Kare Bear!"_

Karen turned around. _"Hi mom. How was your day? I know you guys had interviews."_

Olivia said, _"It went well. Honey I need to talk to you for a minute. Can you sit down for me?"_

Karen sat down_ "Mom what's going on? You are making me nervous."_

Olivia smiled,_ "No need to be nervous. I just wanted to fill you in. Your dad got sick today. It was a stress attack. These last couple of months have taken a toll on him physically. The doctor suggested some time away. We are headed to Vermont this weekend for a month. I called the school and they are going to work with us for the last two weeks to send you your assignments. We all need to get away and regroup."_

Karen nodded and put her head in Olivia's lap. _"I was scared something was going to happen. I seen the changes in dad. He was never bad but just determined to be and do ten million things at once. It was scary at times. He never got mad. He did not even drink. I figured since those things were not happening I should let it go. Maybe going away will allow us all to move on_."

Karen looked up at Olivia _"I am glad you are back. I missed you so much. I love you. I am glad that I have a mom in my life that cares about me as a person. I am glad that we get to move forward as a family in the open. Thanks mom for all that you have done. I never got to tell you but my strength came from you when I was kidnapped. I thought like you. I wanted you to be proud of me."_

Olivia lifted her face. Both had tears in their eyes._ "Honey, as your mom I am always proud of you. Your dad is proud of you as well. We just want you happy. We want you to make good decisions and go out in the world and make your own way. That will always be enough for us."_

They hugged and they ended up watching some old episodes of Scandal and Olivia had fallen asleep in the bed with Karen.

Fitz had woken up alone in their bedroom. He jumped up concerned about Olivia. He went down the hall and seen Tom.

Tom knew what Fitz was thinking _"Sir she is okay. She went in the room to talk to Karen. I think they fell asleep watching TV."_

Fitz nodded and decided to let them rest. He decided to make a pot of coffee and read some briefs.

Fitz got settled and began to read. He was not sure how much time had passed before Jason brought Rowan in who had bags of food in his hand.

Fitz got up to help Rowan.

Fitz spoke, _"Olivia didn't tell me you were coming."_

Rowan nodded, "_It's okay. I know that you both have had a busy day. Where is everyone?"_

Fitz responded,_ "Everyone is taking a nap."_

Rowan_ "Good, you all need it. Plus I want to talk to you."_

Fitz got nervous. He knew that Rowan was not going to let him off easy when it came to Olivia. He just had to be man enough to accept what he was about to say.

Rowan looked at Fitz _"Olivia informed me of what is going on with you. I need you to listen to what I am about to say. When Olivia was shot things happened so fast. We went from worrying about Karen to worrying about Olivia. We were all handling things in our own way. I hate that we were not there for you more. I need you to know that I trust you with Olivia. That has not always been the case. You proved to me that she was never the other woman. I know that so much has happened and that it has changed you. I can't tell you who to be. I just want you to remember that with the changes you make. You have a family that needs you. The country needs you healthy. I know now trust is hard. Just know that you are loved for you. I have not been a good dad. I knows your was not a good one to you. Lucky for me I get an opportunity to right some of my wrongs. I'm here for you too not just my daughter."_

Fitz was shocked. It was not what he expected Rowan to say. He still was not able to express himself yet, but he did understand what was being told to him.

Fitz replied, _"Thank you. I promise that I will always take care of her and love her. She is my everything. I want to marry her. She will never be an ornamental First Lady. I need her by my side. She is my equal."_

Rowan,_ "I know those things to be true. You have my blessings when you are ready to propose to Olivia."_

Fitz nodded and thanked him. They got up and set the food out. Fitz went to get Olivia's favorite wine. He also brought juice and water out. As soon as everything was set he seen everyone come out. Olivia had Teddy in her arms. Karen was beside her.

As he watched them walking towards him he felt a sense of peace. This was his family. It would only grow.

They came over to him and hugged him. He held all three of them. It was the first time in a while that he felt that they would be okay. He could start to plan their future. They could live.

Karen took Teddy and left them alone.

Fitz just looked at Olivia. She never looked more beautiful to him. He never thought he would like her hair shorter, but it fit her. He would enjoy it as it grew out.

She grabbed his face and kissed him with so much passion. He felt so needed in that moment. They finally came up for air.

Olivia looked up at him and said the only thing that mattered,_ "Hi"_

Fitz looked at her and was ready to move forward and said,_ "Hi"_

They walked to the dining room. It was a nice evening. They talked and laughed about everything. Karen spent time telling Olivia what happened over the last couple of months.

Teddy was saying more words and they were clearer. He was a ball of energy that just made you smile.

They talked about their upcoming trip to Vermont. They were going over things they would need before they left.

Everyone had finished dinner and the dishes were cleared. They all said good-night to Rowan.

Olivia went and gave Teddy a bath. She read him a story until he fell asleep. She was excited to be doing her mommy duties. It made her feel normal.

She walked down to Karen's room and said good-night. Fitz had already been in the room so she closed the door.

She was headed to their bedroom. She was proud of the fact that she did not fight him on staying there. Physically she was more comfortable being with someone so it was really a no brainer. In the past that still would not have stopped her.

When she opened the door Fitz was already in the bed. She could tell the medicine had him relaxed. Although she really wanted to make love to Fitz she was still a little unsure of herself so she was glad that it looked like they were going to sleep.

When she closed the door he opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"_Did you get the kids settled?"_

Olivia smiled and said _"Yes they are both in for the night."_

Fitz smiled and said, _"Good its our turn. We need rest. We will have plenty of play time in Vermont. I know we still need to talk and I want to but can we wait until we get home."_

Olivia turned to him, _"Baby that's fine. Just know that I am here. Physically I am still working on things. Memory is still a small problem. Emotionally I am here. I have no plans of leaving my family. We only grow and stay together from here on out."_

Fitz smiled,_ "Sounds good. Good night Sweet Baby. I Love You and I am glad you are home."_

Olivia smiled and said, "_Ditto."_

As Fitz was going to sleep he made up his mind. Some special things were going to happen while they were down in Vermont. He pulled Olivia close and slept peacefully for the first time in months.

**A/N-So most of you guessed and it was always the plan that he would have a stress attack. The next chapter will be in Vermont. I actually think it will be two chapters so I don't have to rush the time together. I will go ahead and let you know that fluff and smut are coming up. No serious issues are on the horizon unless my brain takes me there, but for now none. I am not done with Mellie. Olivia will see Mellie before they meet in the courtroom. I can only say be ready**.


	14. Good Times in Vermont

**A/N-So I am back. I hope that you enjoyed the last chapter. Remember the next couple of chapters are based in Vermont. There will be some flashbacks. Thanks for your reviews. Please keep them coming. I am a little under the weather so I wanted to go ahead and get this out if I am down for a couple of days.**

They had been in Vermont for a week now. It had been blissful for everyone. Karen enjoyed her room that was designed to her liking. It was nice that there was no cameras. She really felt like she could relax. Teddy liked cars and trains so she had his room designed with that in mind. You could tell he loved it. They put him down and he went to town. Marta was surprised to see her room had been designed with her in mind.

The day after they arrived Daniel flew into town. Tom went to pick him up. When Daniel went into their house he was shocked at the change. Tom said Olivia made changes to the house. It seems we were included in her plans. Daniel could only laugh. Tom nodded. He felt that way when he first saw it. Life was different for them as well as the President and the children. Tom enjoyed his job but Mellie made life hard. Now he could concentrate on keeping them safe. The other drama was gone.

Flashback (Days leading to leaving for Vermont)

When Cyrus found out about Fitz's stress attack he went crazy. Before he could rip Fitz a new hole Olivia stepped in. She reminded Cyrus that Fitz knew he had to take better care of themselves which is why they were going to Vermont for a month.

Cyrus calmed down immediately. The house was set up that Fitz could do anything needed out of his office. The equipment was put in right before she went back to D.C. Cyrus was going to hold the fort down and only contact Fitz if necessary.

Fitz & Olivia went to visit Daniel. They wanted him to get out of D.C. for a while. They thought the change of scenery would be good for him. Daniel was overwhelmed with how he was being treated. Technically he had not saved Karen. The couple did not look at it that way. Daniel was hurt because his job was to protect Karen. He had done his job well with no complaints. Karen enjoyed Daniel because he respected that she was a teen. Since he was young himself he protected her but he gave her space as well.

Daniel missed his mom. He had never had siblings. His mom's sister had died when he was eight so he had no family. At times he felt guilty for enjoying the love and kindness that was shone to him. Fitz and Olivia let him know that he was part of their family now. He still had a lot of therapy to get his life back. One of the shots was in the stomach and the other was in the chest.

He was told it could take up to a year to return back to his normal way of life. He would not be able to return back to the Secret Service. When Karen found out she had told Fitz how Daniel was always talking about going back to college. Fitz knew that he was going to set up a foundation when his Presidency ended. Olivia had stated that she planned on opening up another branch of OPA in Vermont. Either way they knew Daniel would fit in somewhere so Olivia had informed Daniel they were paying for him to go back to college. They only requested that he work for them for a year upon completion. If he was not satisfied after that time they would give him a recommendation. Daniel was excited. He now felt he was working towards something.

Right before they left Fitz had spoken with Lauren. He knew that Olivia wanted everyone to come down for a weekend. They were going to do a dinner party. It would be the first time she would be with everyone since she was released from the hospital. Olivia's birthday was also in two weeks.

He was actually bringing everyone in that Thursday before her birthday. He had surprise plans for her. Olivia never really celebrated her birthday. It was not because she did not want to. He thinks it is because she felt that she had nothing to celebrate. He was going to change that starting this year.

Lauren was helping him to set up the surprises for Thursday and Friday. Early Saturday morning they would be getting on the plane to go to Puerto Rico. Olivia had never been. She talked about wanting to go so he thought it was a good time to make that happen among other things.

Fitz had woken up early Friday morning. He just wanted to run down to the office and sign any last-minute documents. He wanted to make sure that Cyrus had everything he needed here. Lauren had made sure they had all the numbers and access codes needed while he was in Vermont.

Fitz had spoken with Cyrus. Signed a couple of documents. Lauren had come over and confirmed that everything was set up. Lauren was really excited to see everything. She was happy for the both of them. This was a long time coming.

Present Day

Fitz woke up in the bed alone. He got up and did his morning routine. He came out and made the bed. He enjoyed being domestic. Olivia preferred doing a lot of things herself regardless of their wealth. Surprisingly he did not mind. He was concerned that Karen would not like it because she never had to do those things before. She loved it. I could tell that she was not just doing it to keep the peace. It felt normal. It was what she always wanted.

I knew that Liv was doing her morning swim. I knew that this helped in her recovery. She was happy to be doing things she did before the shooting.

Fitz went down to start breakfast. Marta was already in the kitchen getting things started. Fitz laughed He knew that this was new for Marta to not be worried about anything but herself. He agreed with Olivia. He wanted to be an active parent. He did not want Teddy or their children to think the nanny was their parent.

Fitz said,_ "Marta I got breakfast. Olivia has set up a spa day for you in town."_

Marta smiled, "_Thank you. I am just getting used to this. Give me time. I am adjusting to my new role."_

Fitz laughed,_ "I know but you will always be needed. Besides we plan on growing our family at some point."_

Marta smiled,_ "I look forward to being around to seeing it. Olivia is just a wonderful person. I could not believe she had your decorator design my room."_

Fitz nodded, _"Olivia just wants you to be happy. We know that we hired you to do a job, but I think we just believe that happy workers make a happy life. Both of us have money. I know that I have more than I could ever spend due to my trust fund. I see no reason not to share. Beside if we spoil you enough then you will never want to work anywhere else."_

Marta agreed, _"I'll be honest. It was hard to stay with you when you were married to Mellie. Now I plan to retire with this family."_

Fitz smiled. It was funny how things change in an instant. He was looking around their home. It once was a dream and now it was their reality. Olivia had added a lot of personal touches to the home.

One weekend when they were in Vermont Marta had looked at some magazines that Olivia had around. She had fallen in love with this room that was designed to be peaceful and tranquil. They had looked at the design and laughed at how they both could use a room like that. Thus the room that Marta walked into when they arrived. The room looked like it walked out the magazine. Actually it was better.

It was one of the last projects that Olivia had done before Karen was kidnapped. She had the SSA house decked out. It was modern but manly. She had large TV's in every room. Every game system. A pool table had been brought it. Tom and Daniel loved it.

He had hugged Olivia. He loved his job, but he valued his downtime. For Olivia to make it more than just a place to sleep meant everything. He had already decided that he was going to stay with the family after they left the White House. He knew that he wanted to be with Lauren so he had spoken with her. She was okay with the decision and stated they could find a place down there.

Lauren had brought it up to Fitz that Tom wanted to stay with them. Fitz was aware of their relationship. He loved Lauren and truly wanted her to stay with him. He told her he would guarantee her a job working for him. She would get a good salary. Money did matter but Lauren learned happiness mattered more. She knew that working for Fitz was a good move for her. They treated her well. She would also be able to stay with Tom. She was not concerned that he would not pay her well.

Fitz brought himself back to the present and began breakfast. He had just finished the waffle mix when Karen came in the room.

_"Good morning daddy"_

Fitz turned around, _"Good morning ladybug. How are you?"_

_"Good I am still sleepy. Mom got me hooked on this author Kimberla Lawson Roby. She is a black author. She has a lot of great books but there is a series based on a shady preacher Curtis Black. I am hooked."_

Fitz smiled, _"I bet. I know you love to read as much as she does. It is nice to read all types of books and authors."_

_"I know. It is the same thing that mom said. I am glad to be home. Boarding school was never this fun. The culture was rich and snobby. They did not respect that people had to work hard to get to where they were. Most of them were expecting a handout."_

Fitz frowned, _"Karen I am sorry that I sent you there. I should have fought harder for you. I promise not to make that mistake again."_

"_Dad, it's okay. Whatever anger I had it is long gone. Beside it taught me a lot. I never want to be the rich girl who demands everything. I want to be the rich girl that gives back. I want to be like mom. She has money but she does not depend on it. She gets up everyday to try to bring balance to the world in her own way. I'm not sure what my way is but I want to be proud of me."_

Fitz smiled, _"I think being like your mom is great. Livvie taught me so much too. I am proud of the young woman you are. Take your time and find out what you want to give to the world. As long as you are doing your best and not hurting anyone then I am fine. When you choose your college or career think about what you want and do that. We will never force you to go down a specific road."_

Karen laughed, _"You and mom are made for each other. When we talked last week she said the same thing."_

Fitz laughed. He hugged her and she washed her hands and helped him to finish breakfast. When they were almost done. Olivia came in the room with Teddy on her hip. She had on her glasses and no make up. He loved it.

Fitz walked around the island to greet Olivia and Teddy. He leaned down and kissed Olivia first.

"_Good Morning Livvie. How are you this morning?"_

"_Morning babe. I'm good. Swimming is definitely helping_.

"_Good. I know that you enjoy it."_

Fitz turned to Teddy _"Morning buddy"_

Teddy smiled, _"Morning daddy. I hungry"_

Fitz smiled "_Okay buddy Karen &I just finished."_

Teddy turned to Olivia,_ "Mama want to get in seat seat."_

Olivia nodded, "_Okay buddy. Let me get it."_

Fitz informed Olivia that Marta had left the booster seat set up at the table so she would not have to keep moving it.

Olivia nodded and went to go get Teddy situated. Karen was in the dining room putting food down.

Olivia went by her and kissed her forehead,_ "Morning sweetie."_

"_Morning Mom."_

Olivia looked and noticed she looked a little sluggish so she asked, _"Is everything okay?"_

"_Yeah mom I'm good. I'm still a little sleepy. I was up late reading. I will take a nap after breakfast_."

_"Sure honey that's fine. I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight."_

"_Sounds good."_

Fitz came in with the rest of the food. They enjoyed this time to talk about anything. Some conversations were more serious than others. Fitz & Olivia just wanted to set up this as their time as a family.

After breakfast Karen went back up to her room and took a nap. Fitz & Olivia spent time with Teddy. Olivia had gotten him a Leap Frog. Everyday they would spend hours teaching him new things. After the educational lessons they let him play.

It was around noon and Teddy was getting sleepy. Today Olivia was tired as well. She had taken him to their bedroom so she could get clothes out for later. She had turned on Dora the Explorer. Teddy fell asleep watching TV. Instead of moving him she climbed in beside him.

Fitz went upstairs to check on them and found them both knocked out. He put a throw over them and left them to sleep. As he was headed down the stairs he thought he would try to talk to Karen.

He knocked on Karen's door and she opened it.

Fitz asked, _"Can we talk a minute?_

"_Sure dad what's up"_

_"Well you know Livvie's birthday is the next week. She doesn't know it yet but Lauren and I have planned a couple of surprises. Everyone will arrive Thursday. We are going to head up to Topnotch Resort. Friday we will be throwing her a surprise party. I have a couple of gifts for her. I really need to discuss the weekend. Your mom has always told me she would not like to have a public proposal. She wanted it to be her story to tell. That is why I am taking her on a trip to Puerto Rico for three days where I plan to propose and I need to make sure you are okay with that."_

Karen was quiet. Not the reaction that Fitz was expecting. He then looked at her and seen tears coming out of her eyes.

_"Honey, what's wrong? I'll be honest this is not the reaction that I was expecting_."

"_Sorry dad."_

"_Never be sorry with how you feel. I just need to understand_."

"_Well I am ecstatic that this is happening. This is your dream come true. It is mine, but it was also Gerry's dream. It is just a little bittersweet without him here."_

Fitz held Karen as she cried. He had tears coming out his eyes as he spoke_ "I agree. I know he wants us happy. Some days are going to be better than others but we will be okay. If at anytime things become too much come to me or Liv. Promise me."_

_"I promise dad. I am really happy. I think she will be too. What does her ring look like? Did you get it custom-made?_

Fitz laughed at her excitement._ "I did. I kept her in mind in more ways than one. Let me show you."_

Fitz showed Karen the ring. She was surprised at his choice.

_"You didn't know did you?"_

"_No dad I did not. How long have you known? Honestly years. It was while we were on the trail having one of our many conversations and she shared it with me. It is not so much a secret as it as little known fact considering how people see her_."

"_Dad it is so cool. I can't wait to hear her reaction. Well we will be back to Vermont that Tuesday so she can tell you. Marta is going to be here with you guys. I think Papa might be staying around as well. Not sure about everyone else."_

Just as he closed the safe he heard Teddy running around. That child was a bundle of energy when he first woke up.

They went out and played with Teddy. They decided they wanted to go in town and do some shopping before dinner.

Since Karen knew about the trip and the plans she had told her dad she would help her with clothes. Since Olivia was not going to find out about the trip until they were in the air they were going to have to pack for her. They wanted her to have a special dress for that night.

When they went in town there was a small boutique there that Olivia had fallen in love with. Neither her or Karen needed any clothes but there was nothing wrong with looking.

For some reason Karen had her trying on all sorts of outfits. Some more formal that others. Some dresser than others. They had just brought in a spring collection and Karen insisted she try some of them on to see what she would like when the time came.

It was fun. It had tired Olivia out. She was ready to eat. There was an Italian restaurant that they had come to love.

Dinner was nice and they were back home. Olivia gave Teddy a bath and both she and Fitz read to him before they put him to sleep.

Olivia had went downstairs to get water so she could take her meds before going to bed. When she got to the room she noticed that the lights were dim.

She walked into the bathroom and Fitz had dimmed the lights in there as well. He also had lit candles.

He looked at her and said, "_I thought we could take a bath together_."

Olivia nodded. She got undressed and walked into Fitz's arms. She reached up on her tip toes and kissed him. They had still not made love. She was not sure how he felt about it. She was becoming more comfortable in her skin; however she was still tired by the end of the night at times. She was also afraid she might have lost some of her stamina.

Fitz could see her thinking,_ "Care to share?_

Olivia leaned back on his chest _"I know that you are probably upset that we have not had sex since I have been out of the hospital. I am just worried I won't make you happy in that way anymore."_

Fitz held her _"Honestly it is the last thing I thought. I researched your injury and expected that you might not want to be as sexual as before. It's not like you have been home months."_

She looked at him "_Yeah but we have not been together in months."_

Fitz looked back at her _"Our sexual relationship is something that I can not put in words, but it is not our entire relationship. Before when we had stolen moments we had sex more but it never defined us. Do I miss us in that way? Yes. However, I know that we will get back to that point soon. I rather not have sex with you than lose you."_

Olivia got quiet. She thinks about what he was dealing with when she was in the hospital. They still had not talked about his stress. She did not think he was avoiding talking to her. It just that they spent time being a family.

Olivia finally got the courage to ask, "_What had you stressed the most?"_

Fitz was quiet. He was not sure how to answer the question. Then he realized he was talking to Olivia. That was the difference between her and Mellie. He did not have to be different people with her.

_"Honestly at first I just did not know how to feel. One moment I am grieving over a son I will never see again. The next I am overwhelmed with fear that I am about to lose a second child. I am angry because my bitch of an ex-wife does this because she did not get her way. I finally get a call from your dad to tell me that Karen is okay only for him to tell me that you were shot in the head. I could not catch my breath. When you were in surgery I just became so mad at myself. I know you would not let me divorce Mellie. However I still should have been a man and ended things with her long ago. I just kept thinking that mistake may have cost me my future with you. Personality wise I am nothing like my dad. However being rich and entitled had made me selfish. I just asked God to spare you and if he did I would change. You lived and I changed. I don't regret it. I only regret that it could have cost me precious time to be with you and the kids and the rest of our family."_

Olivia understood him now a lot more. She was glad they were talking.

"_The last thing I remember was heading towards Karen. I never saw her get the gun or shoot me. I remember Karen face changing and that's it. I saw Gerry. We talked. Part of me wanted to stay with him. It seemed so peaceful. I just couldn't when you got in the bed with me. I was never the woman who wanted anything other than my career. However I came back to have it all. I have established myself in my career. Now I want to be a wife, a mother, help you create change in the next four years. Build on that once we leave. I want Karen to beg me to ask you to give her a break when she is dating. I want Teddy to try things until he is happy. I want a couple of kids that we created to add to our life."_

Fitz turned her around. She straddled his lap. She leaned in and they began to kiss. It started out simple but quickly heated up. They kept going until they needed air.

Fitz looked her in the eye _"Nights like this is what I wanted. It was never peace when I was with Mellie. Everything was always about the optics even when there was no cameras or people around. We could never let our hair down. I like that we are rich but normal. I like caring for my own kids. I can pass on household chores at times, but what husband does not."_

Olivia looked up.

Fitz said, _"I know I said husband. Do you have a problem with that? I know you probably want to discuss a plan."_

Olivia shook her head. _"No I don't want to plan our life anymore. We almost lost each other that way. You do what you think is right. When you are ready you ask."_

_"What are you going to say asked Fitz"_

_"I am thinking yes unless it is some embarrassing grand proposal with a lot of people around_."

"_No I remember you wanted it to be private."_

_"I do. I always envisioned having an engagement party or dinner where I got to tell my romantic story. Call me crazy."_

"_No it is you. Have you ever thought about what your ring will look like?"_

_"No I don't want it to be too big. I'm only so big. I don't want to feel like I need an agent just to guard the ring."_

They both laughed.

Fitz said, _"I'll keep that in mind."_

Olivia said, "_I still want to bring everyone down before we leave. We still have three weeks but maybe tomorrow we can look at our calendars and see."_

Fitz nodded, "_I was thinking maybe the last week. Next week I made plans for your birthday."_

Olivia nodded, "_Okay sounds good. Speaking of birthdays. Karen turns 13 in a couple of months. I wanted to plan a big party for her. I want it to be for her. No cameras. I want them to have fun."_

Fitz nodded, _"I agree. Once we return back. We can discuss it more. I want you to go over the staff that Mellie has and decide if you want to keep them or not. I had Abby to come in and make changes to the office. You won't have to do any First Lady duties until you are ready. I thought you would still want to consult with your team. I had conference equipment put in. Cyrus ordered you four TV's and is going to have them installed."_

Olivia was stunned. She was also excited. She was nervous about becoming First Lady. Planning parties and looking pretty was not her.

Fitz said, _"I will tell you what I told your dad. You will not be ornamental in this administration. Yes you will have to head planning events. However you can have someone on staff to plan and then you come in and made final decisions. You are smart. I need you beside me as my equal."_

Olivia nodded and Fitz held her. He washed her from head to toe like she was made of glass. He helped her out. He lotioned her down and gave her a nightgown to put on.

After he got dressed he climbed in bed. Olivia really needed to ask Fitz something but she was not sure how he would take it. She decided to bite the bullet and come out with it.

_Fitz..._

Fitz looked up at Olivia.

"_I need to ask you something. Please don't get mad at me."_

Fitz pulled Olivia on top of him.

_"Livvie you can ask me anything. I promise not to get mad. I may get upset but it will not be directed at you."_

Olivia nodded. At least he was being honest.

"_When we go back to D.C. I need to see Mellie. I don't know what your plan is for her. I trust you. I just need to face her. I need her to know she did not win."_

Fitz was quiet. He knew the day was going to come. He always wondered how he would feel. Mad was not even a feeling.

Fitz looked Olivia in the eye, "_Yes Livvie there is a plan. I can tell you that she is going to trial. I have informed David to seek the death penalty for all charges. When we get back I will arrange for you to see her under one condition._

Olivia was glad this was not turning into a fight. "_What's that_?"

Fitz responded, _"I will be there but I will stay behind and watch but your dad has to be in the cell with you."_

Olivia thought this was definitely a different Fitz. She could tell he was giving her the moment she needed in a way that he felt was safe. She had to respect him as the man and as her man.

Olivia nodded, "_Baby that is fine. Thank you. I want you to know I love you. I know I don't say it as much as you. I will get better. I just want you to know I am invested in us."_

Fitz hugged her. _"I know Livvie. Ditto."_

He began to kiss her. They began to make out like teenagers. It was a safe first step. Eventually Olivia tired herself out and Fitz held her until she fell asleep.

This he could get use to...

**A/N-We are in Vermont. The good times are starting. So you have a hint of things to come. I plan to cover most of it in the next chapter I think. If I break it up. I will probably write and post at the same time so you can enjoy it without a wait. If you are wondering about the ring I specifically did not tell you what Fitz little know fact is that helped him design the ring. I don't think that any of you will guess it, but I can't wait to read the reviews. I promise you that it is not on the show or anything I ever read. What do you think that she is going to wear? Until next time as the fun continues. Leave me your thoughts...**


	15. Olivia's Birthday Surprise

**A/N-Thank you for the reviews. I just want to say that I am not a professional writer. I am doing this because I like to write for fun. They are my thoughts and ideas. The grammar will not always be perfect. Errors may be missed that are not caught. Sometime I intend for it to be written that way. I have made some adjustment to the format. It may not work for all. If not I will say my story or any future stories I post may not be for you. The fun continues. I do not own the characters.**

Fitz was really excited about the upcoming week. Olivia's birthday was Saturday but they were going to start celebrating on Wednesday. She knew that they were all headed to Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont. Olivia had not been skiing in years so she was looking forward to doing this.

Lauren had arrived in Vermont on Sunday. Fitz had told Olivia that he had asked her to come down to help him on some briefs that he needed to sign. Also he thought she could use the time away to spend with Tom. Fitz had called in three more SSAs so Tom could actually be off while they were at the resort and the other four SSA could rotate so they could have time for themselves.

It really was not a lie that he told Olivia. The part that they left out was the party that was scheduled for Friday night. Olivia was in love with David Tutera so Lauren had gotten in contact with him. They spoke and he was actually planning the party. He had informed David to work with Lauren on the details. Lauren knew what Olivia liked and from there the two of them would decide how the party would look like. He knew it was going to be elegant because that is his Livvie.

Lauren was also working to confirm the guest list. This party was just for close family and friends. This was the dinner party they canceled when he had the stress attack except they had added a couple more people to the list. She needed to get the last numbers to David by Tuesday for the venue. Also Fitz was sending his private jet to pick up the guests. He had also rented two more to make sure that everyone got there. He was paying for their stay at the resort as well so she was speaking with the resort to confirm rooms and packages that he ordered.

Everyone was going to arrive Thursday at noon. Lauren had booked a conference room for all of them to be in. Fitz & Karen would bring Olivia down to surprise her. Lauren was excited. She could tell that Fitz & Karen were thrilled. Lauren had also been in contact with the Plantation Resort in Puerto Rico were they would be staying from Saturday to Monday.

Fitz had requested the Penthouse Residence for him and Liv. He had also paid for the three bedroom residence for the SSAs. When he traveled they could get rooms and be reimbursed, but Fitz always paid for them to stay in the nicer rooms. It was the least he felt like he could do for the people who risk their lives for him.

Since Olivia was not aware that she was going to be attending these big dinners her dresses for the evening were left to her and Karen to pick. For her birthday dinner with family and friends Friday night they had selected a Pine J Mendel Sleeveless Sheath Dress with Cutout Deal. For her engagement proposal dinner they had selected a Vera Wang Purple Illusion Pleat Dress. If she said yes which they all think she will they had lined up a photographer to take pictures.

It was Tuesday and Lauren had everything confirmed so she was spending the day with Tom since Fitz was staying in.

Olivia was in the family room reading. She was so excited to be taking their first family vacation. I guess some would consider them being in Vermont a vacation. In a way it was but going to the resort they would get to ski, eat, shop, maybe get a spa treatment. It was total relaxation and she was doing it with her family. For some reason she felt like this week was going to be magical. Her birthday was Saturday. She was looking forward to her birthday this year. She had survived someone trying to kill her. She has a family, her dad is in her life, and life in general is just good.

Fitz walked in the door and sees her in thought "_Livvie, is everything okay_?"

Olivia looked up Fitz, _"Yes baby everything is more than fine."_

Fitz smiled, _"Really care to share."_

Olivia laughed, _"I am not sure how but just being here with you and the kids just makes me happy. I feel like we are going on a real vacation when we head to the resort tomorrow."_

Fitz pulled her on his lap, _"I am glad that you are happy. That's my job. I want you to stay this happy."_

Olivia smiled. She looked at Fitz. All she could think is I can not wait to marry this man.

Olivia shocked them both when she leaned in and started kissing him.

Fitz moaned. Olivia was normally not the aggressive type but he was loving this.

Fitz kept kissing her and next thing you know they were dueling it out. Tongue on tongue. Before Fitz realized he had slipped his finger underneath her dress into her panties.

Fitz could not believe how wet she was. He missed being with her. He added another finger. Liv started riding his fingers like they were his cock.

Olivia whispered in his ear, "_I missed this. Fuck me with you fingers. Show me you still got it."_

Fitz was stunned for just a moment. However he never turned down a challenge.

Fitz whispered back in her ear, "_Get ready for the ride!"_

Before Olivia could figure out what he meant she felt a third finger enter her.

"_Oh Shit_" she hissed

_"Can you handle it Livvie?"_

Olivia didn't respond she just kept riding his fingers.

She started moaning in his shoulder, "_Fitz, Fitz, Fitz. harder baby I need to cum. Please baby I need to cum."_

Fitz decided not play with her. He took his fingers out. Put her down on the couch and put his tongue in her clit.

"_Fuck Fitz. Oh God. I'm so close!"_

Fitz added a finger along with his tongue. Olivia was riding his finger like it was his cock. His fingers kept hitting her spot.

"_Livvie cum for me. I got you Livvie. Cum for me baby. I got you."_

Olivia felt the orgasm rack through her body. It had been months since she felt like that.

Fitz climbed on top of her and began kissing her so she could taste herself.

Olivia missed this so much. The feeling of being one with Fitz.

Once she was came down off her high she was surprised that Fitz had not picked her up and took her to their room.

She looked up at him smiling, _"You are getting old. Normally you would have had me out of my clothes by now."_

Fitz laughed,_ "I would love to have you naked under me, but I don't want to rush our first time together since the shooting. I want it to be special for you. We are in our own house at the resort. Karen, Teddy, and Marta are in a house of their own so we can properly reunite."_

Olivia smiled, "_I guess you are not so old after all."_

Fitz laughed, "_Livvie, what has gotten into you?"_

Olivia laughed, _"You."_

Fitz smiled. In all the years of being with Olivia he had never seen her this carefree. He hoped to see more of this Olivia. He would make sure he did. He loved it, but more than that it was just good for her to be happy.

They hung out on the couch holding each other. Olivia fell asleep first. Fitz pulled the throw over them and after watching her sleep he fell asleep.

Fitz and Olivia were woken up by tiny hands on their face. When they looked over it was Teddy smiling at them.

"_Mama, da da, up, up."_

Olivia moved over and she picked up Teddy and the three of them lay together.

Marta looked at them and smiled. Karen had been out with some friends shopping for the trip. When she walked in and saw them she smiled. She pulled out her phone and took some pictures.

She posted one to twitter with the hashtag "My Happy Family".

She handed her phone to Marta. She went climbed on the end of the couch. Olivia looked up and smiled at her. She lay across Olivia's leg.

She started playing with Teddy and he was laughing. She got him to clap his hands and sing with her. Olivia and Fitz joined in.

Marta caught a shot of them. She uploaded it to Karen's account with the hashtag "The First Family"

She put Karen's phone on the island and left them to spend time with each other. She decided that she would cook dinner tonight.

They continued to laugh and play until they began to smell food. All of them realized how hungry they were.

Olivia went in the kitchen where she found Marta cooking. Marta knew Olivia was going to try to get her to let her finish.

Marta said, _"As the surrogate grandmother and mother to you I can cook for my family on vacation so that is what I am doing."_

Olivia smiled and nodded, _"Okay Mom call us when it is time to eat."_

Marta looked up at Olivia with tears in her eyes. She liked the thought.

Karen had heard Marta talking to Olivia. Marta had been their nanny since she was born. She started when Gerry was two. The idea that she would have grandparents was cool to her.

She had friends who loved their grandparents if for no other reasons than the gifts they got. Olivia's dad had been really good to her since from the moment they were introduced.

Marta had always took special care of them. Mellie had never came around them unless it was for optics. Marta fed them, clothed them, was at their plays when Fitz could not go.

She loved Marta but she loved having a mom to doing things with her. At times she felt guilty because she wanted Marta to be in her life just not as the primary caregiver. She wondered what was going to happen to Marta with Olivia now co-parenting her and Teddy. The idea that Olivia was keeping her on to help them, but really she was just their live in grandmother was great. For once everyone could be happy.

She stepped around the corner and grabbed Olivia's hand.

She looked up at Marta, _"I am glad that you are staying. I would love to have you in the grandmother role. Mom & I are gonna fight at some point. Then I can come to you."_

They all laughed.

Karen got serious,_ "Seriously Marta I am glad that you are still here. I really like having a mom that is there for me. One that does things with me because they want to. It's something I've always wanted. My friends love their grandparents. I already love you. I am glad that we are finding ways to make things work for everyone."_

Marta replied, _"Me too kiddo. You guys go hang out. Dinner will be finished in about 45 minutes."_

Karen & Olivia nodded and left the kitchen.

Olivia heard Fitz yelling for them. They went upstairs where they found him in the office.

Olivia walked in the office, _"Fitz what is going on?"_

Fitz turned around in his chair looking at Karen and Olivia with this goofy grin.

Fitz looked at Karen, "_Do you want to tell us anything?"_

Olivia was looking at the both of them_, "Can someone clue me in? Maybe it is the gunshot to the head memory lapse or I'm just slow but tell me something."_

Fitz turned on the TV's.

Breaking News:

**_The new First Family has broken the internet. The selfie of all selfies were posted about an hour ago. The first picture had two million hits. 30 minutes later another picture was posted and it has caused Twitter to shut down temporarily. The pictures were posted by President Grant's daughter Karen on her twitter account. The first picture is of the President spending time with his son and girlfriend Olivia Pope. The second picture included Karen spending time with the family._**

**_It was reported two weeks ago that the President was taking time off to spend with his family after the kidnapping of his daughter and the shooting of his girlfriend Olivia Pope at the hands of his ex-wife Mellie Francis. For those viewers who missed our telecast as part of the divorce Mellie was not allowed to keep her married name of Grant._**

**_During their marriage we never seen picture of the family like this. All of the picture of them are so rigid and forced. This is a refreshing site. I know the media expects politicians to act and look a certain way, but they are on vacation. This is what we should see._**

**_Another analyst said, We should see that even if they are here in D.C. These are kids. There clothes are not supposed to always look perfect. A hair can be out-of-place and the President ratings would still be fine. Personally I did not vote for him because I never felt he was real. Things seemed fix. If this is what you had presented to me years ago he would have had my vote. Too bad this is his last term. I have no doubt that we will see the President and Olivia Pope in social circles for years to come._**

**_Personally I can't wait to see them married. We have taken polls to see how America is handling the changes, and the prospect of a new First Lady. The first poll had 52% of Americans approving of them. We took a new poll after the pictures were posted. An astounding 84% of Americans approve of the new First Family._**

**_It is nice to see Karen Grant. The first term I almost forgot they had children other than Theodore. We are told that she now lives with her dad and is attending Sidwell Friends School. We have heard she is a pleasant young woman who is turning 13 soon. This has just warmed our hearts. The President looks happy. If he is happy then as Americans we get better results from him. Hopefully we will hear more good news from this family soon._**

Olivia just sat down. The old Olivia would have wanted them to be on top of this. Run their own polls. Capitalize on the opportunity. That is what the formidable Olivia Pope would do. It was her job. However she is Olivia the mom and girlfriend right now. She knows now that the administration will not suffer because of their relationship. Now she continues to enjoy her family.

Karen was still waiting to see what they were going to say to her.

Olivia walked over to her, "_Honey we love the pictures. Can you send those to your dad and I?"_

Karen was shocked. No yelling. No fussing about how they looked. Surely her dad was going to lay into her.

Fitz got up and hugged her, _"Ladybug I agree. I want the pictures as well. I think that from time to time we all need to tweet. It's an easy way to communicate with millions of people. We know now they accept us as a family. When we get back we don't have to worry about that. Let clean up and go eat."_

Karen was shocked. She knew that their family dynamic was different. However at times it was still weird. It was a good weird. She had not really used twitter when she was at boarding school. A lot of the kids at Sidwell had twitter and Facebook accounts. Her dad had let her set up one as long as he could get access to it which was fine with her.

Life was just getting better and better in the Grant household. Hopefully by the end of Saturday night Olivia would be one step closer to becoming a Grant.

A/N-So I decided to split the chapter up. I wanted to give you guys an idea of what is coming up for Olivia's birthday. I also wanted to show the changes that they are going through. As you can tell I decided to post these chapters together so you did not have to wait and see what happens. This is a short chapter because the next chapter is much longer. Below I posted sites for you to see the dresses that I picked for Olivia to wear.

Birthday Dress: .

Engagement Dress: vera_wang_lavender_illusion_top/thing?id=40430877


	16. The Surprises Continue

**A/N-So this chapter is going to be centered around Olivia's birthday celebration. I hope that you enjoy. Sorry for any errors missed. I do not own the characters. They belong to Shonda.**

Olivia woke up excited for the day ahead. It was Wednesday and they were headed to a resort that Fitz had picked out. They were not leaving Vermont which was fine. It was one of the reason they wanted to settle down there. So much to do without the big city feel.

The plan was to leave by noon. She decided to forgo swimming today. They had packed their bags last night. Fitz, Tom, and Jason had packed up the cars. All they had to do was get themselves ready this morning.

Olivia leaned over and began to pepper kisses all over Fitz's face. She was not sure why but loved that she felt comfortable enough to do it.

Finally she felt him waking up. He pulled her on his lap. Olivia leaned down and kissed his lips lightly. When he completely woke up he deepened the kiss.

Olivia finally leaned back for air. She looked down at him and smiled. _"Morning baby!"_

Fitz looked at her and smiled. This was what he always dreamed for them, _"Morning sweet baby. How are you?"_

Olivia grinned, _"I am great. I am excited to get to the resort. I don't know why I am so excited."_

Fitz laughed, _"I am glad that you are excited. These next couple of days have been planned with you in mind. I want you to really enjoy this time. Enjoy your birthday and know this is a first of many for us."_

Olivia hugged him, _"Thank you. Being with you and the kids is a gift in itself."_

Fitz looked at her, _"So are you. Why don't we get ready so we can head out."_

Olivia nodded,_ "I am going to do my morning routine and go and get Teddy ready. Do you want me to cook breakfast?"_

Fitz shook his head, _"No honey. We can stop and grab breakfast at the diner in town that we love."_

Olivia nodded and said okay.

Olivia & Fitz went in the bathroom and started their morning routine. Fitz then jumped in the shower and Olivia went down to Teddy's room to get him ready.

Each of the kid's room had their own bath so she knocked on Karen's door to make sure she was up.

Karen had yelled for her to come in. Olivia went and said good morning and told Karen she just wanted to make sure that she was up.

Karen was doing her hair. Olivia left her to finish getting ready and went and got Teddy ready. She helped him pack a bag of toys and books that he wanted to take. Once that was done so she took him over to Marta to hang with her while she went and got ready.

Olivia made it back to the room. Fitz was dressed. He was on the phone when she walked in the room. She went and picked out clothes for the day and proceeded to get ready.

By 10:30 everyone was ready to go. Fitz did a walk-through to make sure that everything was turned off, and they had not forgotten anything. He set the alarm and they were on their way.

They stopped and had breakfast and headed over to Stowe. When they arrived at the resort Fitz & Tom went in. Lauren had reserved the homes and rooms ahead of time. He had book all three homes in addition to several suites. He had purchased ski packages, spa packages, and put a credit card on file to pay for dinner and drinks. The guest would be allowed unlimited food and drinks. All room service would be charged to his credit card.

They received their keys and headed back out the SUV. The homes were near each other. One three bedroom home was for Marta, Teddy, and Karen. They went and got them settled in. The other three bedroom home was for the SSAs. The extra SSAs had arrived before them and done a sweep of the homes. Fitz had paid for a suite for Tom & Lauren.

Tom & Jason did a sweep of the two bedroom which was where Fitz & Olivia would be staying. Once he got them settled Tom was officially off duty until Saturday.

Olivia called over and checked on Marta & the kids. They were fine but tired. Olivia was tired as well. They all decided to meet up for dinner and a movie later.

The house they were staying in was beautiful. The master bathroom had a jacuzzi tub. There was also a fireplace which is something that she loves. She headed to their bedroom. Fitz was on the phone. She figured it was work related. She decided to change into something more comfortable.

When she came out the bathroom Fitz was off the phone. He looked like he could use a nap as well. He also looked like he was deep in thought.

Olivia walked over to him and climbed in his lap, _"Is everything okay?"_

Fitz smiled at her, _"Things could not be better if I tried."_

Olivia smiled, _"That's good. Thank you for all of this. I'm glad that I am alive to enjoy my birthday and to be surrounded by my family makes it even more special."_

Fitz just nodded and held her. He could tell that she had fall asleep. He picked her up and put her in bed. He climbed in and she snuggled up to him. Lauren had assured him that everything was fine. David would arrive tomorrow to work with the resort on getting the room set up for her party. He finally fell asleep praying everything came together.

Later on that evening Fitz & Olivia went over to the house with the kids. They decided they wanted pizza for dinner. After the pizza arrived they watched 21 &22 Jump Street. Between movies Olivia got Teddy ready for bed. She read to him until he fell asleep. She came out and enjoyed the other movie with Karen, Marta, and Fitz.

Once the movie was over. Fitz had informed them that their was a card on file for room service and anything else they might need or want to do. Fitz had also informed them they could sleep in. They would head out around noon for a day of skiing and snowboarding. They would grab something to eat at some point in the afternoon.

When they got back to their room Fitz & Olivia took a shower together. For some reason they were both hungry again. Olivia ordered them a snack. Fitz had Lauren to buy several bottles of Olivia's favorite wine. She had also gotten him a thing of scotch. He brought the drinks into the living room. Shortly after the food that Olivia ordered had arrived.

They sat by the fire-place enjoying their late night snack. It was simple and romantic. It reminder Olivia of their time at Camp David.

The more Olivia looked at Fitz the more she wanted him. She needed to be one with him again. It had been too long.

Olivia moved the plates and their drinks and put them on the table. She climbed on top of Fitz. She pulled his shirt off. She started kissing him.

Fitz was shocked at first but he quickly caught up.

Olivia whispered in his ear, _"I need you. I need you inside of me. I want you to fuck me until I forget my name. No games. Not tonight."_

Fitz had never heard such need come from Olivia. He had always given her what she wanted and tonight was no exception.

He flipped her over and pulled the nightie off of her. She was completely naked. This was the first time he had seen her naked in an intimate way in almost five months. He had not realized how much he missed her in that way until now.

Olivia pulled his pants down. She began to fist his already hard cock.

Olivia kept chanting, "_I need you. I need you inside of me. I need you."_

Fitz took his cock ready to enter her. He looked at her to make sure that she was ready for them to become intimate again.

Olivia smiled at him and nodded. She was about to say something, but with one thrust Fitz had entered her.

For a second he took her breath away. God she loved this man. Fitz had not moved.

Olivia looked up at him. Fitz had tears in his eyes. Looking at him caused tears to come to her eyes.

Olivia leaned up and spoke, _"It's okay. I'm here. We are together. She didn't win. We are one again. Make love to me. Show me that this is mine."_

Olivia thought that last statement would cause him to pound her with no end in sight.

She quickly understood that was not what tonight was going to be.

Fitz just stared at her, but he began to thrust in her slow and deep.

God it felt so good. This man was her everything. She needed him to know.

Olivia used all the strength she had to flip them over.

Fitz was shocked. He looked up at her. Their eyes met and he let her know she was in control now.

Olivia slide down on his cock.

Olivia was riding him slow and steady.

Olivia looked down at Fitz, "_Baby you feel so good. I missed you being inside me. Is it good baby?"_

_"Livvie, it's so good. I missed you so much. God baby. Ride me harder"_

"_Oh Fitz you feel so good. I am never letting you go."_

_"Oh yeah Livvie you are stuck with me. You ride me so good, but now daddy is about to fuck you."_

Fitz flipped them over and now Olivia was on her knees.

Olivia stuck her ass out and Fitz wasted no time entering her.

Olivia leaned back and said,_ "Fuck me hard"_

Fitz nodded and said,_ "Hold on."_

Fitz began to pound into Olivia.

_"Yeah FItz. That feels good. Harder. Deeper"_

Fitz pulled her up till they were his chest to chest

Each thrust was harder than the next. Next thing you know he grabbed her hair.

"_Yeah baby. Pull it. I'm almost there Fitz. Oh yeah. You feel so good."_

_"Livvie, I'm almost there. Come on let's cum together"_

Olivia was meeting him thrust for thrust

_"Fitz, Fitz I am so ready to cum_"

"_Me to baby. Let go Livvie Let Go"_

Fitz thrust two more times and they went over together.

He pulled them both to the floor.

It took them a minute to catch their breaths. Neither felt like moving. Fitz grabbed a throw to cover them.

Olivia looked up at him. She had tears in her eyes, _"I feel complete again. It was never just sex with you. It was more than making love to you. Being one with you like this is I have no words."_

Fitz sat up and looked at her,_ "Sometimes I think saying I love you is never enough. There is not a gift big enough for what you have given me. However by the time this weekend is over. I hope it conveys how much I love you, respect you, cherish you, and need you. You are the love of my life. I never want to be without you ever again."_

Olivia smiled, _"Me either baby. Me either."_

They laid back down and fell asleep in front of the fireplace. It was the best sleep they both had in months. They both finally felt they were moving forward in body, mind, and soul.

It was ten the next morning when they woke up. They had not slept that late in forever. Olivia decided to enjoy it. Marta was with the kids. Part of being parents meant alone time. She was going to cherish it.

They both got up and took a shower together. They ended up getting dirty from two intense rounds of love-making. They finally got dressed and Fitz got a light breakfast delivered to them.

They were enjoying being a happy couple. Fitz's business phone rang. Olivia's face dropped. She knew that even on vacation the President is still on call. Normally this would not have bothered her. For some reason today it did. Fitz excused himself from the table and went into the bedroom to take the call.

Fitz finally said, _"Okay Lauren what's going on?"_

Lauren replied, _"Everyone has arrived and are in the Notch Room where the party is going to be held. I wanted everyone to know where we would be tomorrow. Marta and the kids are already here. Jason will bring you over."_

Fitz replied, _"Thanks we are on our way."_

Fitz walked back in the room. He noticed that Olivia was now sad. He hated that he had to do this to her, but it was only for a few minutes.

Fitz went over to Olivia _"Something came up. They need me on some conference. I might need your advice. Do you mind going over with me?"_

Olivia knew who this man was. She would never make him feel guilty for doing his job. She knew that if he had to call in then it was important.

Olivia looked up and said, _"Sure no problem."_

They both put their coats and gloves on. Jason met them at the door and took them to the car and drove over to where the meeting was going to be.

Jason placed a call when he got out the car. He went around and got them out. Fitz grabbed Olivia's hand and they followed Jason.

When they got to the door Jason informed them that a walk through had already been done.

Fitz nodded and walked in. When the door closed the lights came on.

Olivia heard surprise

Olivia looked up and seen Cyrus, James, Ella, Quinn, Huck, Javier, Harrison, Abby, Kimberly, Marta, Karen, Teddy, Tom, Lauren, Derek, Meredith, Bailey, Owen, Dr. Sherry, and her dad.

Olivia was so overwhelmed that all she could do was cry. She could not believe that Fitz had arrange this. She had no clue.

Fitz held her. _"Baby you wanted your family and friends together. I thought what better way than by celebrating your birthday and the fact that you are around. I love you."_

Olivia just held him and cried. Karen came over. "_Mom look at me."_

Olivia could not look up so Karen said, _"Please."_

Olivia looked up and Karen spoke, _"Your whole life has been about others. When your mom died you told me you felt like you died especially after Papa sent you away. We want you to know that we can love you and take care of you too. We need you to know that you matter. You fix all the time. We decided you needed to be fixed. This room of people love you and think you are as worthy of a person as you think of us. The next couple of days are all about you. This will help you heal."_

Karen went over and hugged her. Olivia just held her. After a couple of minutes she calmed down and turned around to face everyone. She grabbed Fitz's hand before she spoke.

"_Thank you for coming. Thank you for loving me enough to be here. Thank you for what you done to save me or help me be with my family. I love you all. I love this man beside me with all my heart. These kids are my world. You are all important to me. I am thrilled to spend this time with you."_

Fitz said, _"Guys were are headed over to ski. I have hired cars and vans to take everyone where you want. Lauren has your room keys. You can order anything you want to eat or drink. My card is already on file so enjoy yourselves. I have reservations for dinner tonight at eight. Feel free to rest or once you get settled you can come over and ski with us."_

Everyone came over to greet Olivia and Fitz. She was excited to see the doctors that treated her outside of the hospital. Her dad finally came over. They hugged for a minute. Olivia was a little girl the last time her dad held her like that.

Olivia looked up at him,_ "I missed this. You hugging me. Feeling secure in your arms."_

Rowan looked at Olivia, _"I'm so sorry. I let my job and my pride take over. I forgot the most important job was being your dad. I know that I didn't influence you but you are a wonderful human being. I'm extremely proud of all that you accomplished and I know you will do so much more with Fitz."_

Olivia smile, _"Dad I became twice as good because of you. I worked hard because of you. I used what you said just not the tactics that you used. You did influence me. I'm over being mad. That wastes time. I want you here. I want you to be a part of our family. The kids want you around."_

Rowan smiled and said okay. He went over and hugged Fitz.

Fitz, Olivia, Marta, and the kids went skiing and snowboarding. They stopped and had a quick-lunch and then were back out on the slopes. They had the time of their lives. They had taken several photos and posted a different one to each of their twitter accounts.

Teddy was getting cranky so they headed back to the resort around five. Marty took Teddy. He fell asleep in the car. They all decided they could use a nap.

When Olivia walked through the door of their rental house the weight of the day finally hit her. She took off her shoes and climbed in the bed.

Fitz climbed in behind her, _"A penny for your thoughts."_

Olivia turned around, _"You never stop to amaze me. I always wondered if we would be a good couple when we were more than stolen moments. My biggest fear is that you would be sick of me. I'm happy I am with you. I'm happy with my life. I'm happy we are a couple and that it gets better everyday."_

Fitz kissed her._ "I'm glad you are happy. We have the rest of our life to continue to build."_

Olivia nodded and cuddled up to Fitz and fell asleep. They both woke up and seven and changed clothes for dinner.

Dinner was excellent. Olivia enjoyed spending time with the group. After dinner everyone went to their rooms for the night.

Olivia found out that Fitz had paid for all the women to enjoy a day at the spa the next day. He also had paid for Karen and Olivia hair and make-up to be done for their dinner the next night. Olivia found out it was a little more formal than the dinner they had that night. She had not packed for it. Fitz informed her that Karen & Lauren had selected her dress and accessories for the night.

They were both so exhausted from the day that as soon as they got in the bed they were both asleep.

The next morning Fitz got Olivia up and out the door by eleven. Lauren was going to make sure that things ran smooth on that end.

Fitz went over to the room and met David Tutera for the first time in person. A lot of things were being set up. Fitz trusted him. Olivia watched his shows and loved his designs. Everything looked so clean and crisp and they were only halfway done.

Fitz grabbed all the guys and they went skiing for a bit, and then sat down for lunch. Fitz had filled them in on the details. He also let them know that they were headed to Puerto Rico Saturday morning as Olivia's biggest gift. He gave them the option to stay at the resort through Sunday or they could head back to their house. They all decided to stay at the resort. Fitz informed them that was fine. He would have Marta and the kids stay so they could spend time with everyone especially Rowan who wanted to spend time with the kids.

They all went back over to the resort to get ready. Fitz had used the second bedroom to get ready. He was waiting for Olivia so they could head over. Lauren had texted him to let him know everyone was there. Olivia came out the room. The J Mendel dress fit Olivia like a glove. It was classy but sexy. Her hair had grown out some. She had it done in soft curls. She had make-up on but it looked natural.

He knew not to kiss her when she was all made up. They were taken over to the room where Olivia's dinner party was being held. Outside the door was David. Olivia was shocked.

David came over, "_Ms. Pope it is a pleasure to meet you. I heard you liked my ideas and I was called in to create one for your dinner party tonight."_

Olivia was thrilled. David turned to the President and informed him that they took it upon themselves to hire a photographer for tonight. Also they set up a photo booth for them.

David opened up the door and Olivia was stunned. The room was lite in lavender and pink. The room had crystal chandeliers. David had created a sweet heart table for her and Fitz.

He put Marta, Rowan, and the kids at a table. Olivia's team at one table. The doctors at another table. They were not spaced far apart. The tables had a flower arrangement that consisted of different types of lilies.

The custom table clothes and chair covers were the same color as the lighting. He had selected china that had a gold rim.

She loved it. She thanked David and informed him that when they get married she wanted him to handle her wedding. David was shocked. He was not going to turn the next First Lady down. He would fit her in even if he had to let another client go.

David got them to their seats after they greeted everyone. Olivia noticed that she had a gift table full of gifts.

When they sat down she noticed two empty seats at the table where the kids were. She turned to David & Fitz and asked about the empty seats.

Fitz nodded to David. He got everyone's attention.

Fitz began to speak, _"Thank you everyone for being here for Olivia's birthday dinner. My goal was to try to start making some of her wishes come true this year. Just being with her has made mine come true. We all know that Olivia is all work and very little play. Hopefully we can change that a little with time. However there are some things she loves other than wine and popcorn. She has always loved David. I watched more My Fair Wedding and Celebrations than I wanted. The things we do for love. Olivia & Karen are addicted to Scandal. They ignore me when that show is on and have a hangover the next day. You would think she gets enough of that in her own life, but I guess not. She deals with high-profile people all the time, but she has never met this young woman. I would suspect because she stays out of trouble. I spoke with her while Olivia was in the hospital. She wanted to meet my other half so I invited her tonight. So honey here is your second gift of the night."_

Olivia turned around and in walked Kerry Washington. Olivia was floored. They greeted each other. It was like they were long-lost friends. Kerry had brought her husband. Olivia introduced them to everyone. Once they were seated the five course meal was served.

Lots of pictures were taken. They also took pictures in the photo booth. A D.J. was brought in and they danced after desert was served. Olivia had opened up her gifts. Fitz and the kids had purchased her a Tiffany charm bracelet, Prada purse, and three new pair of shoes.

It was a night to remember. It was close to one in the morning. Everyone was getting tired. Olivia got Kerry's contact information so they could stay in touch. Fitz told Olivia she needed to tell the kids bye because they were leaving on a trip in a couple of hours and would not be back in Vermont till Tuesday. Olivia was curious but decided not to ask questions.

She said good-bye to everyone. She spent a little extra time with the kids. Fitz said they would call them and Facetime with them. The kids were going to stay at the resort with Marta to spend time with everyone.

They made it to the room. Olivia was still excited about her party. She wondered what Fitz was up to. She hated surprises but these had been so good that she decided to go with the flow. They got ready for bed.

Fitz looked over at Olivia, _"It is officially your birthday. Happy Birthday Livvie. I hope that you are enjoying yourself!"_

Olivia kept thanking Fitz. Even as a child when her mother was alive she had not had a birthday celebration like this. What was funny is that it was not even her birthday yet. Well technically now it was because it was after twelve. Finally they dozed off. The alarm Fitz set for six that morning woke them up. They got ready and Tom and Jason took them to the air strip.

Olivia looked at Fitz, "_I did not pack enough clothes. I was not aware of this trip."_

Fitz smiled, _"No worries. Karen & Lauren packed you another bag. It is already on the plane."_

Olivia smiled, _"Wow where are we going?"_

Fitz laughed, _"It's a surprise."_

They boarded the air plane. They had about a four-hour flight. Olivia fell asleep shortly after take off. As they got closer Fitz woke Olivia up so she could hear where they were.

Olivia sat up as they were about to land. The pilot announced they were about to land in 15 minutes and said welcome to Puerto Rico.

Olivia looked at Fitz stunned. She could not believe he remembered that conversation they had almost three years ago.

Olivia was trying to land her plane so that she could speak. She could not form a sentence to save her life.

Fitz finally spoke,_ "I know there were times that you thought we would not be together. There were times when I made you feel like the other woman. I want you to know I was serious about us. I listened to your hopes, dreams, and desires. This is real!"_

Olivia leaned over and kissed Fitz with all the passion and love that she could show.

They had landed in Puerto Rico. Fitz had told her to dress light and comfortable. She thought it was because they were flying, but now she knows because of their location.

Tom drove them to the luxury resort that they were staying in. It was beautiful. The beach was everything she thought it would be and more.

Once again they were staying in a penthouse home. He had reserved one for the SSAs to stay in as well. It was spacious and you were able to look out and see the beach.

Olivia was in heaven. Fitz brought her bags over to her. She had no clue what was packed for her. She found three bathing suits to choose from, a couple of sun dresses, night-clothes, and her toiletries. There was a separate dress bag.

Fitz could tell Olivia wanted to know why there was a separate dress bag. She opened it and saw a beautiful Vera Wang dress.

Fitz informed Olivia that they would be having a private dinner tonight for her birthday. Olivia smiled. She had to admit that Karen & Lauren had done well.

Olivia wanted to play in the sun. She changed into a swim suit and put a cover over it. Fitz had made arrangements for them to go to the **Ambassadors of the Enviroment.**

When they pulled up Olivia was giddy. Once they cleared for them to enter they began a fun-filled afternoon. They explored the wetlands, went snorkeling, and kayaking.

Tom was looking on and had never seen either of them as happy as they were today. This was not the President and the Future First Lady. This was just Fitz and Livvie a couple in love enjoying their time together.

Although they had not asked Tom had brought in extra SSAs. It allowed him a little more freedom. He had taken pictures for them to have to remember this time. He placed the extra men where needed so they would have a little more freedom. They were in plain clothes so people would not direct their attention to them.

It was early afternoon and they were getting hungry. They decided to eat at bar and grill that was on the beach. They did not want to clear out the restaurant. They were able to sit outside and enjoy the view and the weather.

Olivia still could not believe that they were in Puerto Rico.

She loved over to Fitz and grabbed his hand, "_I love you. Best birthday ever."_

Fitz laughed, _"For now. I got years to top this baby."_

Olivia laughed, _"I have never felt so free as I do in this moment. It was worth it."_

Fitz was curious by what she meant, _"Worth what Livvie?"_

Olivia became serious,_ "Everything that Mellie put us through. All the bad decisions that we both made. Me having to get shot. It all led us to this. Sure I could have done without someone of it, well a lot of it, but I have no complaints because I now have my man, a family, friends, my dad, and peace of mind_."

Fitz thought about what she said. He agreed he could have done without some of the things they went through, but to be where they are at this moment he also would not change a thing.

Fitz grabbed both of Olivia's hands, "_I agree Livvie."_

Fitz looked up at Livvie. For the first time he was nervous about tonight. Time to get the wheels turning.

"_Livvie, once we finish with lunch Tom is going to take you over to the Spa Botanico. I have reserved for you to get a massage, manicure, pedicure, hair, and make-up. I have paid for them to do your hair and make-up in our room. I am going to get ready at the SSA house. Someone will pick you up at eight for dinner."_

Olivia was speechless. She wanted to tell him this was too much, but this was Fitz. When it came to those he loved especially her and the kids money was no object. She decided to go with the flow. It was clear he had worked hard on this plan for her.

Olivia smiled, _"Okay Fitz. I will be ready by eight."_

Fitz also informed Olivia, _"Lauren ordered your shoes, clutch, and accessories to be sent directly here. I will make sure they are in the room before I leave. I will make sure that Tom gets them to you. I am going to leave with Jason. Tom is going to stick around with you."_

Olivia nodded. They enjoyed their lunch. They decided not to drink. They fed each other and just spent time relaxing. Fitz knew he had to get her over to the spa.

Fitz got up and went over to Olivia and gave her a passionate kiss. "_I'll see you later birthday girl."_

Olivia laughed and waved. Tom took Olivia over to the spa. They were expecting her. They had brought in their best to take care of Olivia. They dealt with people who had money, but taking care of the next First Lady was something they would never forget.

Amelia, Alana, and Christina were the girls set to provide all Olivia's services. They were nervous. They did not know what to expect. They were surprised with how down to earth Olivia was. She informed them they had to call her by her first name. She asked about their lives outside of work. She laughed with them. She showed them pictures of Fitz & the kids. Christina had lived in the United States before moving to Puerto Rico with her husband. Amelia & Alana had been life long residents.

Olivia had taken pictures with the girls and posted it to her Twitter account letting them know she was getting ready for her birthday dinner. Alana was not needed back at the residence, but Olivia informed her manager that she wanted her to come along and help her get ready. She would pay her if necessary. The manager insisted it was fine.

She had taken a picture with the manager so they could put it up in the spa. Once back at the residence they began hair and make up. Once they seen the dress they decided to go with an up do. The make-up was dramatic with a smokey eye.

When they gave her the mirror she was amazed at how great she looked. The make-up was a little heavier than she normally wore, but it went well with the hair and dress. It was not too much either. She had 30 minutes to get dressed. Their was a knock at the door. Alana let them in since they were doing last-minute touch ups.

Tom came around the corner with a gift bag. He smiled at her and handed her the package and the card.

Olivia opened the card. The note read.

"_**Tonight I get to celebrate on the greatest on the planet. I will never know what I did for God to bring you in my life, but I promise to cherish you. I hope by the end of the night you are happy as I am. Enjoy your first gift. Fitz"**_

Olivia opened up the box. He had purchased her a amethyst & white gold heart jewelry set that included a necklace and earrings. She knew he purchased this to match her dress.

God she loved this man. Alana helped Olivia put the jewelry on. Alana also helped her to get dressed. The girls had taken pictures with her for themselves and for her to post or show to Fitz and the family.

She had about five minutes left. She attempted to give them a tip for their hard work. They would not take it stating that the President had each tipped them when he paid for their services. Olivia wanted to do more because she felt they did more than their normal job requirements. She would figure something out before she left. She found out they would all be working Monday.

As she hugged them and let them out Tom was at the door with a flower arrangement that it included white roses, oriental lilies, lisianthus, sweet pea, and purple roses. There was a note. The note said:

_**"I hope tonight is a night you will not soon forget. I hope you like the flowers; although they pale in comparison to your beauty. Fitz**_"

Olivia was trying hard not to cry. Tom brought her over to a golf cart. She decided not to grill Tom and go with the flow.

Tom brought her to a place that she could tell had been roped off for them. There were flowers that created a trail. She followed the flowers and when she turned a corner there was a gazebo that was lite.

She stepped in the gazebo and there was a note that said turn around. There stood Fitz in the Armani slim fit suit that she purchased right before she got shot. His hair was slicked back with that one curl doing its own thing.

Fitz went over to him and he asked her for a dance. She was about to ask about music when lighting came on beside the gazebo and their was a violinist. it was so romantic. Fitz put the flowers down and grabbed her hand. They danced and held each other. Olivia was not sure how long they had danced.

Fitz pulled back and asked, _"Are you ready for dinner Olivia?"_

Olivia nodded.

Olivia noticed more flowers that they followed to that was lite. There was a table set for two by candlelight.

On the table was one of Olivia's favorite wine called Verite Le Desir.

Fitz pulled Olivia's chair out. Once she was seated and comfortable he sat down. She was about to speak when a Chef appeared at the table. He introduced himself and informed them that their five course meal would be:

First Course: Shrimp Antipasto

Second Course: Olive Roast Chilean Sea Bass

Third Course: Baised Short Rib with Taleggio Cheese

Fourth Course: Beef Tenderloin on Potato-Mushroom Riscotto

Fifth Course: Pear & Cranberry Tart with Rosemary Sorbet

The chef opened the wine. He poured them each a sample to taste. They allowed it to breathe a moment and after tasting approved. He poured them each a glass and left them while he started on their meal.

Olivia was over the moon right now. She grabbed Fitz's hand before she spoke, "_I also thank God for you Fitz. I was lonely and miserable until you came into my life. I look forward to standing in the sun with you. Thank you. The spa day, the jewelry which is spectacular, and this dinner by the beach is more than I could have ever asked for. Thank you. I love you."_

Fitz smiled. He would never forget this night. It was not going to be because of what he was about to do, but because he had never seen Olivia as relaxed and at peace as he was seeing at this very moment.

Fitz leaned over and kissed Olivia._ "I love you more and I am glad we can finally celebrate in the open."_

The chef began to bring out each course. The food was wonderful. They laughed and talked about everything under the sun.

They had just finished desert when Fitz asked Olivia to dance again. She agreed. As the music was softly playing the background they just enjoyed being with one another.

Towards the end of the song Fitz spun Olivia around to face the water. All of a sudden a fireworks show began. It had been years since Olivia had seen fireworks. She was giddy like a little girl. The show was about fifteen minutes and it ended with fireworks in the shape of a heart. At that moment Olivia's gut told her that Fitz had planned this. She turned around to find Fitz on one knee.

Olivia gasped, _"Fitz..."_

Fitz grabbed her hand, **_"For as long as I can remember I thought love was just following orders and doing as I was told. I never knew what true love was until you came into my life. You never wanted me to be anything but me. I have always wanted to be better because of you. I love you. I am in love with you. You are the love of my life. I never want to do anything else without you by my side. My greatest accomplishments have been with you. I am hoping that you are ready to take the next journey of our life together."_**

Fitz opened up the ring. Olivia gasped. He remembered. In the box was a custom diamond and amethyst engagement ring. The center diamond was a princess cut. Around the center were diamonds and amethyst stones.

Fitz looked at Olivia, "_Will You Marry Me?"_

Olivia was overwhelmed from the surprise party, to the trip here, the gifts, and now the proposal. The tears would not stop flowing. She tried to speak and nothing would come out so she did the next best thing.

Olivia nodded her head up and down to let Fitz know she accepted. Fitz put the ring on Olivia's finger. He picked her up and spun her around. When he sat her down Olivia had gain some of her composure back.

Olivia looked Fitz in the eye, _"Yes. A million times yes. I can't wait to be your wife. This was better than I could have ever imagined. I can not believe you remember me talking about the fact that purple was my favorite color. I told you about how my mom & I would play dress up and have tea parties. One time she took me to an event where the mothers and daughters had lunch and afternoon tea. My mom had bought us both purple dresses. It was one of my fondest memories, and I said that although it was unusual I would love to have that stone be a part of my engagement or wedding ring because it would allow me to feel close to mom."_

Olivia began to cry. She missed her mom. Every girl wants to tell their mom they found their other half. She could not do that, but looking down at her ring made her feel like her mom was right there with her. She would be there as she became a wife and hopefully mother to their children as well as Karen & Teddy.

Fitz whispered in her ear, _"I always listen to you Livvie. You are that important. As long as it is within my power I will do whatever I can do to make you happy."_

They just held onto each other for a few moment. Olivia heard someone coming. She turned around and saw that it was Tom with a gentlemen beside him.

Fitz informed Olivia that he was a photographer and he was there to take photos of the newly engaged couple.

Olivia greeted him and off they went to take pictures. Some were taken by the beach. Some were taken on the property. Most of the photos were of the newly engaged couple. Fitz had also requested some of Olivia alone. He did not have any pictures of just her. He wanted to change that. He wanted one to be framed and added to their home in Vermont. The White House would take some once she became First Lady.

After the photos were done Tom escorted Fitz & Olivia back to their rental. He congratulated them and left them alone.

As soon as the door close Olivia jumped on Fitz. She wanted to show him how thankful she was.

They had their clothes off in record time. Olivia begin to plant kisses all over Fitz's chest. She slowly made her way down south.

She took Fitz's dick in her hand and began to fist him. She looked up at Fitz and knew that she had him where she wanted him. She began to lick around the tip of his dick causing Fitz to moan. She was driving him wild as she began to lick up and down his shaft. She took his balls in her hand and began to massage them. Fitz was in overload. Before he could form a sentence she had taken him completely in her mouth. She worked him over.

Fitz knew he was close. He did not want to cum in her mouth, _"Livvie, baby that feels so good. I am close baby."_

Olivia knew he was trying to avoid cumming in her mouth and she was having none of that. She wrapped her arms around his legs. She kept massaging his balls as he was thrusting his dick in her mouth. A couple thrusts later he let go and Olivia did not waste a drop.

Fitz was finally coming down from his high. Olivia had never done that before. They had a great sex life, but he now knew it was only going to get better.

Olivia stood up and began to kiss Fitz. He could taste himself. He now wanted to taste Olivia, but she was not having that tonight.

Olivia shook her head, "Tonight I want my fiancée to fuck me. I want your cock to be imprinted in my walls."

Olivia began to fist him, _"Can you do that?"_

Fitz never back down from a challenge. He picked Olivia up and she wrapped her legs around him. He took her to the closest wall.

Fitz looked at her. She was beautiful but now that she was about to be his wife and that took him to a place he could not describe.

Fitz pushed Olivia against the wall. He started kissing her and he traveled to that spot behind her ear that caused her to gasp. Before she could catch her breath Fitz had thrust into her.

Olivia put her head on his shoulders

Fitz was relentless. He was pounding into her like there was no tomorrow.

"_Oh God Fitz, Fuck Fuck, right there..."_

_"Harder, deeper..._

Fitz slid them to the floor and turned her over.

Fitz quickly re-entered her

They both gasped,_ "Shit"_

Olivia was meeting Fitz thrust for thrust

_"Livvie, shit you feel so good..."_

"_Oh Fitz, yes baby right there so good, so good"_

"_Fitz, I'm close I'm about to cum..."_

"_Livvie I got you. Let go Livvie"_

Fitz was pounding Olivia. She finally gave up and let him take control.

She could feel it coming. She had orgasms but this one was like nothing she had ever experienced.

Fitz was now jack-hammering her. She finally let go...

"_Shit shit..."_

Olivia thought did I pass out for a second. She felt Fitz emptying inside her.

They both were out of it and could not say anything.

Finally Olivia climbed onto Fitz. She looked at him and smiled, "_That was new..."_

Fitz laughed, _"Yeah I thought I was the only one who had superpowers"_

Olivia laughed, "_If you knew everything would you have still wanted me?"_

Fitz nodded, _"Absolutely!"_

They lay there in silence for a minute. Fitz finally got them up and carried them to the bedroom.

He put Olivia down. There were flowers on the bed that spelled Congrats.

Beside the bed was a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.

Olivia smiled. She grabbed her phone and took a picture before they got in bed. She wanted to look back and remember everything about this night.

They decided to take a shower to clean up. Before they got clean they engaged in a round of steamy shower sex.

They got in bed and Fitz poured them each a glass of champagne. He fed her some strawberries.

Fitz looked at Olivia and was nervous when he asked her, "_Are you happy? Was tonight okay for you?"_

Olivia noticed he was not looking at her. She sat her glass down and climbed onto of him. She waited for him to look at her. Finally he looked up, "_Tonight was better than I could have dreamed. I use to tell myself that you listened and did things for me because I was the other woman. It was to keep me around. Over time I began to understand it was you showing just how much you loved me. Tonight was beyond my dreams. My ring is perfect. It was designed with me in mind. It's not too big and I look at it and know you know me."_

Fitz nodded, "_I love you. You are it for me."_

Olivia nodded, "_Ditto"_

Fitz sat up and they begin to kiss. They were in no rush. It was like they were making love for the first time.

Fitz flipped them over. Olivia was now beneath him. He entered her. He made love to her. Slow and steady. They whispered their love and devotion to each other. They came together.

Olivia cuddled up to Fitz knowing their dream was finally coming true. It took no time for them to fall asleep.

A/N-They are officially engaged. I could not stop writing. There is a specific reason that I have added Kerry in the story. They will become friends. Any guesses why? So you now you know the story behind the ring. It was why I was so cryptic so I could allow Olivia to tell her story. There is some truth in the story. The resorts and locations I selected are real. The menu for their dinner was real. Next up is their remaining time in Vermont. The announcement of their engagement. Ideas about what, when, and where the wedding should take place. The biggest thing is going to be their return to D.C. which will include Olivia's showdown with Mellie. You don't want to miss that.

To view the ring I selected so you can get an idea of her engagement ring and wedding band go to:  . 

The resort in Vermont: .com

The resort in Puerto Rico: .com


	17. Family Dynamics

**A/N-I am in the writing mood so I am going to keep it going while my thoughts are fresh. Thank you for all the reviews. Please keep them coming. I know the direction that I want to go with the story, but your thoughts either confirm I need to stay on that lane or sometimes I read something that I may like better than my original thought. Sorry for any grammar that I miss, and remember that these characters belong to Shonda.**

Even with the blinds closed the morning sun came through the room. As Olivia lay in the arms of her now fiancée she was over the moon. If you had asked her five years ago or even five months ago where her life was headed she would have only had one answer, down a sad and lonely path.

She can't believe that she is actually about to become the First Lady of the United States. She is a mother and she wants more. The funny thing is she wants more soon. She loved Karen &Teddy more than words could express. Her wanting more children with Fitz would not change how she felt about them. She just wanted children that were a product of the both of them. She also preferred that they be close in age. If they had a child in a year or two Teddy would have a sibling to grow up with.

The other thing that Olivia had thought a lot about was her platform. If she was going to be First Lady she was going to use the platform to create change. There were a couple of things that she had in mind that she wanted to talk to Fitz about.

Olivia was so deep in thought that she had not noticed that Fitz was awake. He pulled her closer to him and whispered, _"Good Morning Future Wife!"_

Olivia turned over laughing, "_Good Morning Future Husband. How did you sleep?"_

Fitz smiled, "_Well between you wearing me about and knowing that you are about to become my wife I slept like a baby. How about you?"_

Olivia laughed,_ 'Ditto!"_

Fitz could not believe they were finally getting their happily ever after. He knew she had thought about things. He could never be sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He was about to find out.

"_So do you care to share with your fiancée what you were thinking about?"_

Olivia looked at Fitz. She could never hide from him so she let him know, "_I was thinking that I can't believe that I am engaged. I was thinking how I want to add to our family sooner than later. I was also thinking about my platform when I become First Lady."_

Fitz sat up, _"Wow I used to put it down where your brain was like mush the next day, but I guess I am getting old."_

Olivia laughed, "_Never. I am just still excited from last night. I have not been up that long. Trust me you wore me out."_

Fitz smiled, "_That nice to know. Let's talk then."_

Olivia nodded, "_I want to ask you about something else that is on my mind."_

"_Sure I am all ears. How about we ordered breakfast and lay in bed and talk?"_

Olivia agreed. They got up and Fitz ordered breakfast for them. Olivia went and did her morning routine and put on one of Fitz's Navy t-shirts. Fitz had come in and did his routine as well. By the time they were finished breakfast was delivered.

Fitz told Olivia to get back in bed. He came in the room with waffles, bacon, eggs, strawberries, and mimosa.

Fit fed her breakfast and once they were full he put the tray on the table. He pulled Olivia between his legs. "_Ready to talk, you first."_

Olivia leaned back, _"Yesterday at the spa there were three girls who took care of me. Their names were Amelia, Alana, and Christina. They are between 18-20 years old. Christina has lived in the U.S. before but not the other two. Christina is married but her husband left her for another woman. She had not told anyone until yesterday. The other two want a better life. Without a degree and connections it is hard to make decent money here. They stuck with me. I am a fixer at heart. I was wondering if we could offer to pay for them to go to school. I have enough money, but now that we are about to get married I don't want to make decisions without you."_

Fitz pulled Olivia closer. It felt good that they were talking about things. Making decisions together.

"_Livvie, I am okay with it. The girls were vetted before working with you. I will have Tom to call and bring them here tonight for dinner. If it is something they want them once we get back to D.C. we will work to make that happen."_

_"I'm okay with that Fitz."_

Fitz pulls out his phone and sends Tom a message

"_Good next topic."_

_"I think that we should call Kimberly and set up an interview to announce our engagement. I would prefer that all the exclusives go to her since James is going to be the White House Press Secretary."_

_"Livvie, that is fine with me. We can call her once we get back to Vermont. Have you thought about when and where you want to get married?"_

Olivia got quiet because she had thought about this a lot.

_"I have"_

_"Are you going to clue me in?"_

"_Do you remember that place that Karen was saying she wanted to visit, and you later told me that she has wanted to go since Mellie promised her?"_

Fitz knew what Olivia was talking about, but wondered what it had to do with their wedding.

_"Livvie, I know that is Karen's dream and we agreed to making that happen, but what does it have to do with us?"_

_"I want to get married there on New's Years Day. I want to start the new year as a Grant. I was thinking that we go down there for Christmas and complete last-minute preparations for the wedding. I still want David to handle the wedding. There are a couple of locations I want to run by you and make sure that David can handle. It can also be a gift to Karen."_

_"You know you will become the best parent ever when you tell her. As long as David can handle the destination wedding it is fine with me_."

Olivia is over the moon. She is happy to be marrying Fitz and this is one way to include Karen. It will be a trip they will always remember.

"_Anything else Livvie_"

Olivia was not sure why she was so nervous. She knew that Fitz wanted children with her, but they had never discussed when.

Olivia decided to bite the bullet

"_I want to have a baby with you. What I am trying to say is that we are going to be married in three months. I would like to get my IUD removed in the next month or two so that we can began trying if that is okay with you."_

Fitz was stunned. He always thought he would have to have to convince her that they could handle a baby. He thought she would be worried about the optics or the kids. He was not ready that she was ready practically now. He was thrilled silent.

Olivia took him not saying anything as a sign that he did not agree.

"_Fitz I am sorry. Forget I said anything_."

Fitz turned her around and pulled her into him. He kissed her until Olivia was breathless.

"_I can not wait until we are out of practice mode and we officially begin our mission. I was not silent because I am not happy. I was silent because I thought I would have to beg you to have a baby."_

_"Nope, no begging needed. I wanted our first to be close in age with Teddy. I want him to have someone close in age to grow up with. If we have another one which I suspect we will then I say we give it a couple of years and go from there_."

"_The greatest plan ever from the greatest fixer ever_."

Fitz asked, "_Can we practice now?"_

Olivia laughed, "_How about we shower. I'll let you get me dirty and then you can clean me up."_

Fitz laughed, _"Sold_"

He picked Olivia up and put her over his shoulder. Olivia got very dirty in the shower after two intense rounds of steam sex. He then washed her from head to toe.

Once they were clean they headed back to bed and took a nice long nap.

When they woke up Fitz had arranged a surprise for Olivia. Tom took them to Toroverde Adventure Park. Olivia told Fitz that she always wanted to go zip lining. That is what they were about to do.

When Olivia realized why they were there she screamed like a little kid. He would never be able to convince people that Olivia acted this way. It was beyond funny.

Fitz had no intentions of joining Olivia, but she begged him until he gave in. By the time they left the park she had gotten Tom to zip line with them too.

It was early evening and Fitz had paid the Premium Outlets to stay open after they closed to the public. They took Olivia over so she could shop.

Fitz had informed her that their was a state dinner coming up that she would need a gown for. He also knew that Olivia loved to shop but rarely did she do it herself. He wanted her to go in the stores herself and see things that she wanted.

Olivia had a ball. She got souvenirs for everyone. Clothes and shoes for the kids as if they did not have enough. She had bought Marta several things. Marta never bought much for herself. She noticed that Marta did not have a lot of personal belongings.

**Flashback-Right before Karen was kidnapped**

Olivia wanted to know more about Marta, but she was afraid to ask her. She did not want her to think she had any issues with her. She asked Huck if he could get Marta's found out that Marta was sending a lot of her money to her niece. Marta's only sister had died two years ago. Mellie would not approve an extended leave for her to take care of her sister. She had used her savings and her checks to help care for her sister. When she died Mellie made her use her week's vacation to bury her sister. There was still a lot of debt that was left. Olivia had found out that her niece had two children. Money was tight because the children's dad was not paying child support like he was supposed to so Marta was helping her out.

Olivia was pissed when Huck had sent her the information. Bitch did not seem like it could cover Mellie's action. She did not want to put Marta on the spot so she decided that she would find ways to help Marta. Buy her gifts. For her birthday and holidays she would make sure they gave her cash. She had filled Fitz in and he was sick that he was not aware of everything. He had given Marta a cost of living raise and back dated it for two years so she got a check up front that she could not question. For each child they had they were going to increase her pay.

**Present**

Olivia thought about what Marta had said to her in the kitchen the night before they left for the resort. Olivia kept saying that Marta was the surrogate grandmother to the children. She was okay with them having a nanny. She just did not want her kids to see the nanny more than they saw their parents. She was okay with Marta being her surrogate mom. A lot of changes were about to happen. With all the good happening in her life made her miss her mom the most now, but she would happily accept the love, advice, and help that Marta provided.

Olivia thought about the surprise that was going to be there when they returned to D.C. She felt great about the decision. She was glad that Fitz supported her when she talked to him about it.

Abby had gotten in contact with Marta's niece. She wanted to move closer to Marta since her mom had passed and her aunt was the only family she had left. When they got back to D.C. they were going to surprise Marta because Olivia moved her niece and her two children into her apartment.

They had completed an extensive background check on her and she was clean and no criminal history. She had work as an executive assistant before her mom got sick so Olivia had Abby hire her to work as part of Olivia's staff. She did not plan on firing everyone who worked for Mellie. Most of them were happy that Mellie was gone. That was not the issue. Olivia just needed to have people around her that she could trust.

Olivia had not heard Fitz call her name at first. When she finally answered him she realized she had been in her own world.

_"Sorry honey I did not hear you call me."_

_"That's okay Livvie. Are you okay?_

_"I am. I was just thinking about Marta. I hope that she will be happy with the surprise."_

_"I can not imagine that she wouldn't be."_

_"I know. What were you going to ask me?"_

_"I was going to ask when we got back to the room did you want to call the kids."_

_"Yes, but I don't want to tell Karen that I accepted your proposal. I want to see her reaction in person so can you tell her something came up and you haven't been able to ask."_

Fitz laughed, _"Sure but you know she_ is going to be devastated."

"_Yeah, but we are going home tomorrow so it won't be too bad. Besides we are not telling her I did not accept."_

_"Same thing as far as she is concerned. She is ready for you to be a Grant. Which leads me to my next question. What are you going to do about your name?"_

_"Are you asking if I am going to take your last name_?"

Fitz was nervous. He wanted her to take his name, but he knew that for professional reasons she probably would not. He understood that as well and decided that as long as they were married that was all that mattered.

"_Do you want me to take your name?"_

_"Is that a trick question_?"

Olivia laughed, _"No_"

Fitz nodded, _"I'll be honest I do want you to carry my last name, but I know you have to consider it more than others because of your business. Therefore I will accept whatever you decide."_

Olivia nodded,_ "Good because I decided. I am going to hyphenated my name. I want to have your last name too, but for business purposes I want to keep my maiden name so when we are married I will be Olivia Carolyn Pope-Grant."_

She knew that this would make Fitz happy, but she watched the emotions on his face and could tell that this really meant a lot to him. She was really glad that she made a decision that would make them all happy.

They got back to the room. They decided to leave the bags in the car since they were leaving out tomorrow morning. When they got settled they decided to Facetime with Marta and the kids.

Karen answered, _"Hi mom and Dad_"

_"Hi honey how are you_?"

"_We are great. Papa decided to stay and we have spent time with him. He took us shopping. He bought Teddy a train set and they have played with it. I met some new friends that live in Vermont to that had come to the resort to ski. Papa spoke with the parents and allowed us to have a sleepover. I can't wait for you to meet them. He cooked us all breakfast the next day_"

Fitz and Olivia were stunned

Olivia finally spoke, "_Well I guess we don't have to ask if you guys are having a good time_."

Karen laughed, "_Nope, but how about you. How is Puerto Rico_?"

Olivia told her about everything they had done but left out the engagement. She could tell Karen was trying to figure out what had happened.

Karen asked, _"So on the night of your birthday you only had dinner_?"

Fitz responded, "_Unfortunately yes. Something came up that I needed to be briefed on so our time was cut short."_

Karen said, "_Oh that's a bummer? What are you doing on your last night there?"_

Olivia responded, _"A working dinner_."

That was really not a lie.

You could tell that Karen was disappointed but Fitz had to give it to her that she never mentioned the engagement because she knew that it was a surprise.

Olivia asked, "_KareBear are you okay_?"

_"I am mom. I just hate that your birthday plans got cut short."_

Olivia smiled, "_Thanks honey but I am more than okay. The last couple of days have been a dream come true. We have to get ready for dinner but we will see you early tomorrow afternoon_."

"_Okay mom. Papa said that he is going to stay at the house tonight so we will see you tomorrow. Love you."_

_Fitz and Olivia responded, "We love you too."_

They ended the call. Both of them started laughing.

Fitz said, "_Well at least I know that she knows how to keep a secret_."

Olivia replied, _"True. Can we leave early I really miss the kids?"_

Fitz nodded._ "Me too. How about we meet with the girls and then leave tonight and surprise them_."

Olivia nodded, _"I would like that_."

Fitz got on the phone and made arrangements for them to fly out tonight. He then called Tom and informed them of the change in plans. They packed their bags. They had dinner brought up for everyone.

Right as the dinner was put out on the table Tom was coming in with the young women.

Olivia introduced them to Fitz.

Fitz noticed how nice and respectful they were. He asked them to call he Fitz instead of Mr. President. They would not call him Fitz so they settled for Mr. Grant.

They sat down and enjoyed dinner. They laughed and talked and got to know each other a little more. The girls were shocked at how down to earth they were as a couple who had the kind of power they did. The President was just as nice and fun as Olivia had been.

They congratulated Olivia on the engagement and were in love with her ring. She had told them the story of why the amethyst stones were designed in the ring.

Once dinner was complete they brought the girls to the living room. Fitz allowed her to speak.

"_Amelia, Alana, and Christina I just want to thank you for your help last night. Getting engaged to the love of my life is something I will never forget. You helped prepare me for that. I listen to you talk and I know that you all have dreams. I know that you all want to go to college but can not afford it. I spoke with Fitz and if you would like you can apply to go to college in U.S. We will pay for room and board. Christina I know that you have the kids to consider so we will help you with them as well. You owe us nothing in return. I just want to help you get what you want in life_. I see your potential. We want to offer you a chance to create a future of success"

The girls were speechless. Never did they think that providing services to Olivia would lead them to the possibility to a better life.

Amelia finally asked, "_Does it matter what field we want to go in?"_

Olivia and Fitz responded _"No_"

The girls did not know what to say. Opportunities like these were far and few in between. They knew that this was the President in front of them. They had read about Olivia. Actually Christina followed Olivia's career. She was a lot like Olivia. She loved politics but liked being in the background.

Christina decided to speak first, _"I want to take you up on your offer. I have followed your career Olivia. Being a woman who his half black half hispanic it was nice to see you achieve success. You gave me hope. My divorce is about to be final and I was surprised to find out my ex signed over his parental rights. He wants nothing to do with the kids. I need to think of them and I need to be better for them. So I accept your help. I would like to attend a school that is close to D.C. or in D.C. where I can keep in touch with you if possible_."

Fitz was upset that a man would do that to his kids. He was happy that Olivia was helping them even more now.

Fitz spoke, _"It will be no problem. We will arrive back in D.C. in about two weeks. We will reach out to you then and get the process started_."

Amelia and Alana nodded. Each stated they wanted to attend college as well. Olivia brought a gift bag over to each of them.

They opened it to find new Mac Notebooks and new I-phones. The girls were excited. Olivia informed them they she wanted them to research where they wanted to attend school, and they would go from there when they spoke again.

They agreed. The girls hugged and thanked both Fitz & Olivia. They left knowing that they had been given a chance and they had no intentions of blowing it.

Olivia & Fitz were happy with their decision but were ready to spend time with their family. Tom got them to the air strip and their boarded the jet.

They talked all the way back home. So much was going on and they could not be happier.

It was close to midnight when they pulled up to their home. Olivia knew that Karen was somewhere reading a book or watching a movie. She was a movie buff.

Olivia had taken her ring off and put it in her pocket so they could greet her without her seeing the ring.

Karen must have heard the car. She looked out the window to see them and ran out to meet them. She jumped in Fitz's arms. She was a typical teenager, but she knew what it was like to not have parents around so unlike most teens she loved spending time with hers. It was something she would never take for granted again.

Fitz put her down and she ran over and hugged Olivia. Olivia held her for a minute. She really missed them. Olivia could never understand how Mellie had no interest in them.

Once they got inside they found Marta and Rowan in the family room. It looked like they were all watching a movie together.

Fitz & Olivia greeted them all. You could tell they were waiting to see what happened.

Olivia played with them, _"Why are you guys looking at me like that for_?"

They did not know what to say.

Olivia laughed, "_Am I suppose to have something on or look different_?"

They still were not sure what to say. Fitz was standing behind Olivia. He had pulled the ring out of her pocket.

She had slipped her hand down for him to put the ring on.

Karen finally spoke, "_Um no mom we just. Um I don't know what we thought. Sorry. I'm glad you are home and had a good time."_

"_Me too KareBear. I still think you are looking for something."_

_"No Mom. I'm sorry!"_

_"It's okay Karen. Your dad and I agree on one thing for sure now."_

_"What's that mom?"_

_"You know how to keep a secret_."

Olivia shows her hand this time and the engagement ring is there. Karen is stunned. She burst into tears.

Fitz runs over and picks her up. They go in the family room and sit down.

Fitz rubs her back, _"What is it honey?"_

Olivia sits down beside Fitz and Karen put her head in her lap. _"It's funny because I never wanted something so bad to happen. From the moment dad said he was going to propose. I guess him marrying you makes it more official."_

Olivia had tears in her eyes." _I am glad that us getting married makes you happy. Your dad & I have a couple of things to tell you that will make you even happier."_

Karen sits up, "_Really how?"_

Fitz nodded to Olivia. He was not taking credit for these decisions. He supported them and was happy with them, but they were all Olivia. He wanted Karen to know that Olivia loved her that much.

Olivia spoke, "_First your dad and I have decided when and where we are going to get married?"_

Karen looks up, "_Lay it on me_."

Olivia smiled, _"I will officially become a Grant on New Year's Day. I want to start the new year as a Grant_."

Karen laughed, "_Cool and where_?"

Olivia smiled, "_I made this decision with you in mind because I want you and Teddy part of this whole process so we will be leaving right before Christmas and taking that dream trip that you always wanted. We will have Christmas there and get married there_."

Karen was stunned, _"Dad is she serious_?"

Fitz smiled, "_Yes honey. I did propose to Liv as planned but she wanted to see you to tell you so sorry about that but she asked me about getting married there because she knew it was a dream of yours to go there and she thought it was the perfect reason to take the trip_."

_Karen looked at Olivia crying again. She climbed into her lap. "Mom are you sure? This is your wedding."_

_"No Karen this is our wedding. This officially brings us together as a family. I want you to experience things and enjoy life. Everyone in this family is important. We won't always give you what you want, sometimes you will have to earn things, but this you deserve. This is what I want for you and for me."_

They held each other. Fitz allowed them to have their moment. He could not be happier.

Karen finally realized they said a couple of things so she asked what was the other thing.

She looked at Fitz. She was still overcome with emotions to speak so she wanted him to take over for a moment.

Fitz looked at them, _"Well Liv & I talked and we know that your mother is more than likely never going to see the outside of a prison cell again. Therefore Liv asked if we could work on her adopting you and Teddy where she is officially recognized as your mother and not just your stepmom."_

Karen jumped up and started skipping around the room. Fitz & Olivia looked at each other and shrugged.

Fitz knew she was going to be happy but her emotions were all over the place. "_So I take it that you are happy_."

"_Dad, come on. Happy is not the word now. I guess it is true that there is light at the end of the tunnel. We have had terrible things happen to us all left and right. It is so nice to have great things happen."_

Karen skipped out the room leaving Fitz & Olivia to take in their daughter's reaction. They had not noticed Marta & Rowan.

They got up and greeted them again. Olivia went in the wine room and grabbed a bottle of wine for her and Marta. She made two scotch neats for Fitz & her dad.

She brought the drinks back in the room. They sat around and Fitz filled them in on the proposal. They showed them the pictures that Tom had been nice enough to take on their digital camera. The photographer had emailed them some shots so they pulled them up on the I-pad to view.

Olivia told them about the girls and their offer to send them to college. Marta & Rowan expressed how happy and proud they were of them.

Marta was tired and let them know she was headed to bed.

Olivia could not shake that something was wrong. She looked at her dad, _"What's wrong dad_?"

Fitz looked over at Rowan puzzled by Olivia's question. He thought that Rowan was sincerely happy for them.

Rowan spoke, _"Huck called me yesterday. Jake slipped back in town. He was found outside of your apartment. It looks like he was waiting for you to return so he could try to talk to you_."

Fitz spoke, "_So Huck detained him_?"

"_Yes. we have him in a secured place now waiting on your word."_

Fitz could only see red, "_I'm done with him. I don't care what you do with him. I just never want to see him again."_

Olivia was shocked, _"Fitz you realize they are going to kill him unless you specify not to."_

Fitz said, "_I know_."

"_And you are okay with that Fitz?"_

Rowan could see they need to have it out alone so he left the room and closed the room.

"_Olivia, what do you want me to say that I trust Jake to know when to stay the hell away? Well I can't. I know it is my fault the bastard was ever in your life so now I am fixing that."_

_"By letting Huck and my dad kill him_."

_"He obviously does not respect boundaries, because I know he knows we are together and instead of knowing his place he has sat back and waited to find the perfect time for him to slide back into your life. The bigger question is why do you care so much."_

_"Fitz, don't do that. Don't make me out to be the bad person."_

_"You know what Olivia. You care so much about Jake. You want your man to live. Fine."_

Fitz opened the door and went over to Rowan, "_Let him live. You & Huck can speak to Olivia about Jake going forward."_

He went upstairs to the room. When Olivia came in the room he did not acknowledge her.

He woke up the next morning and noticed that Rowan was gone. He thought that he was done competing with Jake. He found out how wrong he was.

He was in his office working when Olivia came in, "_Can we talk she asked_?"

Fitz looked at her. He was really hurt. He could not fight over Jake again.

"_Olivia, I love you. I am not going to fight with you about this. You do what you think is best. Even it means going back to him. I can't do this with you anymore_."

Fitz left the room. Over breakfast Karen had found out that her soccer team had made it into a tournament and in order for her to take part she had to be at practice starting the following Monday so they had agreed to head to D.C. a week early.

The rest of the week was weird for the family. Fitz was not mean or rude to Olivia but they knew that something had happened.

Olivia assured Karen they were fine. They spent time with the kids together. Fitz would either go to bed before Olivia or work in the office late and head to bed when he knew she was asleep. A couple of nights he had even slept on the couch in the office.

At first Olivia was mad. She felt Fitz was taking this too far. Marta sat Olivia down one day and ask her to tell her what was going on. Olivia had confided in her.

Marta said, _"I am going to give you some motherly advice. Jake has disrespected you on more than one occasion. He put his hands on you more than one occasion. You know Fitz is protective of those he is closest too. Jake was supposed to be his friend. He betrayed him and what makes Fitz madder is that Jake doesn't do what he does because he loves and respect you. He just want to one up Fitz. Fitz is tired. I am going to tell you this because you have healed enough from your injuries. Fitz is having them prosecute Mellie and go for the death penalty for what she did to you and Karen. I say that to show you that he has no tolerance for those who hurt the ones he loves. The only reason he did not let your dad kill her is they felt it was too easy. They want her to suffer like she had made others suffer. Jake can't be tried in a court so that is why he left it to your dad and Huck. I don't know what you feel for Jake, but the fact that you are allowing him what feels like a pass makes Fitz wonder will he ever have you free and clear_."

She got up and left Olivia to think about what she said. She could tell that she had gotten to Olivia. Olivia knew what she had to do. She placed a call to her dad. She set up the meetings for tomorrow when they returned.

She went to go talk to Fitz. She had not seen him since last night. Tom came in and told her that he was back in D.C. There was a hostage situation that Cyrus could not handle alone. He said he put a note on your desk in your office.

Olivia went in her office. There were a bouquet of flowers with a note:

_**Livvie, I had to head back a little earlier to help with the hostage situation. I was going to wake you but I noticed you took pain medicine so I let you sleep. I did not leave to hurt you. It was better for me to be there with the cabinet members and Cyrus to handle this process. I won't lie I am still kind of hurt, but I understand. I love you enough that I am not going to fight about Jake another day, but I will give you the space to do what you need to do. I have always trusted your decisions and this is no exception. I will admit I have avoided you, but I just did not want to say the wrong thing. We are so close to getting our happily ever after. I don't want to say something that will ruin it. I love you and I will see you soon. Fitz**_

Olivia cried. She was mad because he had not talked to her, but he respected her enough not to talk to her. He just wanted her to figure out what she wanted. He did not want to ruin them. She thought about what Marta said. She knew what she had to do.

Olivia called her dad. They changed the meeting for today. She went and packed her bags. She informed Karen they were leaving this afternoon. Karen got herself ready. Marta took care of Teddy.

Later on they got on the jet to head back to D.C. When they landed Olivia had Marta to take the kids back to the White House. She went to a car that her dad was in.

He greeted her, "_Liv are you sure you want to do this?"_

Olivia answered, "_Yes dad. Did you get the information that I requested?"_

**A/N-I threw a lot of things at you this chapter. You know when they are getting married, but I have specifically not stated where. I have chosen a place but I want to hear your thoughts on where you think they are going to get married. If I stick to my place I will tell you. If I choose a place that is sent to me in a review I promise to give credit where credit is due. Jake has been out there since the story started. I decided he needed to be addressed. What do you think should happen? Was Fitz wrong? Was Olivia wrong? Next up Olivia goes to her meeting. Olivia begins to prepare for her wedding. Olivia starts to transform into the First Lady.**


	18. Conflict Resolved

**A/N-Keep the reviews coming. I need your thoughts and opinions. I plan to discuss a lot of issues so I hope that you can keep up. I'll tell you what. If I can get to 70 reviews before Thanksgiving I promise to post their Thanksgiving day for you on Thanksgiving. Cleo and Shon I see you and thank you again for your thoughts. Keep them coming. I look for them.**

Olivia was on a mission. For the first time in almost nine months she was back to being a fixer. There were times that she missed all the action, but for the most part she enjoyed her new role of managing her team. Today she had to fix some issues before they became problems.

Olivia sent a message to Abby asking her to handle something for her. She received a response back letting her know that she would take care of it.

Olivia sat back and waited for them to arrive. She was nervous. She was mad. She was sad. Most of all she was determined. She no longer was willing to allow others to tear her or her family's life apart.

Fitz had gone non-stop since he arrived back at the White House. They had been going over Intel and trying to decide the best avenue to save the hostages. He had no time to think about his personal life. He missed Olivia. He really did not want to discuss Jake, but he didn't want Jake to destroy their future. The kids were invested now so walking away was not going to be so easy.

Abby came in his office and informed him that Marta and the kids had arrived. Fitz decided to take a break and go and greet the kids. He went up to the residence and found them all at the table eating a snack. He greeted everyone and asked where Olivia was.

Marta told Fitz that she got in a car that was waiting for her at the air strip. Teddy had fallen asleep so Karen offered to take him to his room.

Marta turned to Fitz, _"I spoke to Liv before we left. As a mother figure I gave her some advice. I also clued her in to what your plans with Mellie were. I could tell on the way here that she turned back into Olivia Pope, crisis manager. I suspect that she is with her dad. I know you want to be there for her. It is in your nature to protect her, but let her handle this on her own. Especially since the shooting she needs to know that she can still handle situations. If you step in it is going to scare her. She is going to feel ornamental. You say you trust her so trust her."_

Fitz nodded. He heard Marta loud and clear. He knew he could be overprotective. So much had happened to them. Fitz realized he could not use this as an excuse to not give Olivia or even the kids room to grow.

Fitz gave Marta a hug and thanked her. He informed her that he had to get back to the Situation Room and was not sure how long he would be. Marta let him know that was fine and she had the kids.

While Fitz went back down to the situation room Olivia was walking into her first meeting. Huck was outside the door. He acknowledge her. Rowan told her that he was going in the room. He respected that this was something she had to do, but as her father and with the fact that Fitz was not aware of where she was he felt he needed to be overprotective in the moment.

Olivia and Rowan walked into a secure room where Jake was sitting on the floor. He had been roughed up a bit. He smiled when he saw Olivia.

Jake got up._ "So you came for me_."

Olivia looked at him. Did Jake really ask her that? _"What makes you think that I came for you?"_

_"You are here."_

_"I am"_

_"I know because you love me. You know that the things I said were said out of anger. I tried to see you when you were in the hospital, but they had you in a secured section of the hospital."_

_"Jake, I know that you have seen the news and you know that I am with Fitz."_

_"Yeah I am sure it is by force. When your dad finds out or shall I say he already knows he will be planning on getting rid of Fitz. This is the same man who let his ex-wife shoot you_"

Olivia was fuming at this point.

"_You have lost your damn mind. No I take it back I lost my damn mind_."

Olivia had not originally intended to throw her new life in Jake's face, but she was disgusted at this point. She pulled out her phone and pulled up a video and hit play.

Jake was shocked at what he was looking at. Rowan not only accepted Fitz and Olivia being together he supported it. He even saw Karen calling Rowan Papa.

Jake was disgusted, "_So now all of a sudden you are okay with being ornamental and allowing him to control your every move_."

Listening to Jake was the discovery that she needed.

_"My problem is that I want to fix everything. I felt like I needed to save you or help you because you came into my life because of Fitz. I'll be honest there were times that I thought my life would be better if I got in a relationship with you. Not because I was in love with you but because I would never be able to be with the love of my life. What's so funny is that you don't love me. You just want to be with me and throw it in Fitz's face. Sorry but you will never get the chance. You are nothing more than a bitch baby. I don't need a bitch baby I need a man. Just so you know I was shot because Mellie did not get her way. Fitz did not want me to go there, but I wanted to be there for Karen. I am not choosing you. I am not choosing Fitz. I am choosing me, and what I want is to be with Fitz and be a wonderful mother to Karen, Teddy, and any future kids I have. I want to better others. You put your hands on me twice and I excused that. What I will not excuse is that you killed James and two other innocent people. You have blackmailed David. You would make an attempt at Fitz or my dad if given the chance. You will not ruin my relationship with Fitz or the kids. I am over this."_

_"Dad, Huck can you come in please?"_

Huck and Rowan walked in the room.

" _I am over this. Do what you what? I just don't want to know or I don't want Fitz to know that way there is plausible deniability."_

Rowan looked at Huck. "_I need to handle something else with Olivia. When I return we will handle this_."

Huck nodded.

Jake tried to get up and get to Olivia. Huck knocked him back down. Olivia never looked back.

Rowan & Olivia went to the car and drove a short distance to another building. Rowan walked in first. He confirmed everything was set. Olivia was brought in.

Rowan opened the door and Olivia walked in. For the first time in six months she came face to face with Mellie. She looked so plain. It was almost comical.

Mellie looked up to face Olivia. She noticed they had a TV in front of her cell. She knew that either her dad or Fitz had set that up. They had not informed the public of their engagement but she noticed that Mellie was looking at her ring.

Mellie was predictable. You would think that prison would have humbled her, but Olivia knew in the short amount of time she was there that Mellie still thought she still was going to get out of this.

Mellie looked at Olivia, _"Glad you are still around."_

Olivia looked at Mellie stunned, "_Really because when you shoot someone in the head it usually is to kill."_

"_You're right. Truthfully I did not think I just reacted."_

_"That is the Mellie we know."_

_"So congrats you survived and now you get my sloppy seconds of being Fitz's wife, First Lady, and a mother to those brats."_

Rowan was not quick enough. Olivia had jumped across the table and smacked the shit out of Mellie. Rowan decided to let it play out a moment. Olivia needed this.

Olivia got up and dragged Mellie by the hair back to the chair. While she was dragging Mellie she said, _"Other than getting married and being a mother to those precious children and our future children my only priority is to make sure that your ass fries. Fitz has done a very skillful drop of tearing you apart. It had to be a blow to no longer be a Grant. He came up with that one on his own at the last minute in the settlement. While my fiancée has done a very skillful job I am going to take over. The public is going to find out who the real whore is. When let's see in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."_

Olivia turned around and asked her dad to turn up volume on the TV.

"**Breaking news: The attorney general has announced that they will be charging former First Lady Melody Francis with kidnapping of her daughter, the attempted murder of Olivia Pope, and treason. Her co-conspirator in the kidnapping former Senator Edison Davis and for SSA Hal Rampert provided the government with information that showed the former first lady was providing classified information to Hollis Doyle. The content of those documents have not been disclosed. They are seeking the death penalty and we are being told that they are taking this case to trial.**

**We also received documents that showed that the former First Lady has had many affairs on President Grant. They started while they were engaged and include the President's father and Lt. Governor Andrew Nichols among her many affairs. Also America's Baby is really not America's Baby because the child is not the biological son of President Grant but belongs to SSA Hal Rampert. President Grant issued a statement that he was aware that Teddy was not his biologically but that Hal has signed over his parental rights and Mellie has signed her rights of Karen and Teddy so that he and Olivia can become the children's legal parents.**

Olivia muted the TV at this point. She would listen to their comments later. She pulled the folder out.

"_Sign the damn papers Mellie."_

_"What if I don't?"_

"_Then I promise that you will get a can of woop ass every day until you do. We will delay your trial until you heal, but you will sign these papers because as you say they are brats to you but children to us so do the right thing without being forced. Make no mistake you are not dealing with the same Olivia Pope that will take your bullshit. I just okayed one man being killed, and while I want to see you suffer if it takes us beating you until you are in an inch of your life to get you to sign the papers I will. Your choice."_

You could hear a pin drop in that room. Even Rowan was taken back by his daughter, but he knew that he was not dealing with the formidable Olivia Pope with the white hat. He was dealing with Mama Bear Olivia and she pulled no punches.

Mellie could feel the pain that Olivia had inflicted in the short amount of time that she had been here. Her body could not take much more. They had put her through the ringer in the last couple of months.

Mellie signed the papers. "_Here you got what you wanted."_

Olivia put the folder in her purse. She put her coat on. She turned to Mellie and smiled.

"_No I have not got what I wanted. See I was in a coma for a month. It took months of recovery so I haven't seen you suffer. I want to strip you of your dignity by the time the time you head to trial. Then Karen & I are going to finish it on the stand. Finally I hope to be around to spit on your grave for all the pain you caused. You want people to care. I don't give two shits about you. You wouldn't give Marta the time she needed to be with her sister. So Mellie get ready for hell on earth. You fucked with the wrong one."_

"Dad I am told that her trial is at least six to eight months away. I think she could use some time in the hole. She needs to be programmed that she has nothing left."

Rowan did not want to smile but he did because messing with her family had shown him that he made the right decision to be with her. There was no doubt in his mind that while he might have gotten the better of his daughter for a while she would have won the war.

Olivia got in the car and headed home to her family. She was physically, mentally, and emotionally tired, but she needed to get back on the same page with Fitz. Times had changed. She could no longer just think about herself.

Back at the White House they had gone at it for hours. Fitz was tired and he really just needed to see Olivia. He just wanted to hold her for a second. He needed to make things right with her.

They had decided that no decisions were going to be made tonight. They needed more intel and would pick this back up in the morning. Fitz went to his office. Abby knocked on the door and entered when Fitz okayed for her to come in.

He seen Abby and smiled. _"I know that I have seen you since I got back but it has been all work related. How are you doing?"_

Abby smiled, _"Good Cyrus helped a lot while you were gone and he gave me some tips which I have found useful."_

"_Good, but get out of here. Go spend some time with Harrison I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day."_

"_Mr. President_"

"_Abby when we are in meetings and in front of others yes I am Mr. President, but when it is us I am about to be your best friend's husband I am Fitz."_

Abby was thrilled that they were getting married. Olivia had called her to tell her the issue with Jake and Mellie and that she needed a couple of things done which Abby helped her with.

"_Okay Fitz well Olivia is going to be back soon and she has ordered dinner for you two to have in the Rose Garden in 30 minutes. I wanted to let you know and I think you should watch the news. Good night Fitz."_

Abby left. Fitz went over and turned on the TV and watched the top story on every channel about Mellie. Her skeletons were no longer in the closet. He was surprised and wondered how they got all of this. Then when they said that Mellie had signed her parental rights away for both kids and Hal had signed his away for Teddy so that Olivia and Fitz could legally adopt both he smiled and knew who did this especially when they read statements that he and Olivia had issued. He was just curious about the them signing the papers because as far as he knew they had not.

He watched the news as the court of public opinion ripped Mellie apart. If she had any supporters there were none now. He was happy and not because Mellie was being ripped apart because that was nice, but because he knew that Livvie was back. This was her element. She fixed things, situations, people. What she done helped her and he was going to support her.

Fitz walked out to the Rose Garden where Olivia was sitting at a bench. He could tell that she was in deep thought.

He walked over to her and put his arms around her waist, _"Hi_"

Olivia sank into him. She needed him and she missed him, _"Hi_"

She turned around and allowed him to hold her. She wanted him to know she needed him.

Olivia looked up, "_I missed you and I'm sorry_"

Fitz shook his head, "_There is nothing to be sorry for. I missed you too and glad that you are home."_

"_I never want you to think that you are not number one because you are. I can't lose you especially to a man who cares nothing about me."_

_"Honey you were never going to lose me_."

_"Maybe not but I had to do some things today that put this family first. When it comes to Jake I can only tell you its being handled. Mellie & I have an understanding that she is to never fuck with this family again."_

Fitz stepped back. The tone that Olivia took was almost scary. He wanted to ask, but was afraid of the answer he would get.

Olivia smiled, _"I'll just say that she knows that she no longer runs shit. Oh and I know that you have watched the news by now, and yes I have their signatures signing away their rights which will make us adopting them an easy process that is being handled now."_

Fitz smiled. He trusted Olivia and if she says it's handled then it was. He noticed a table was set for two. Their favorite food was lasagna so she had Abby to have the chef to make them some with a salad.

They sat down and enjoyed dinner. Fitz told her about the situation. She had offered her opinion on some of the options he was weighing out. They talked about the kids and Fitz wanted to get security plans in place to attend Karen's tournament. They decided Olivia would get her IUD removed as soon as her doctor could get her in. They also had been in touch with Kimberly Mitchell and in two days they would be announcing their engagement.

Olivia got a call informing her that Marta's niece was here. Fitz & Olivia were excited. Abby had gotten them set up at Olivia's apartment. Olivia had not met Nicole yet but had talked to her briefly on the phone.

They walked in and Lauren had brought them into the Oval Office. Olivia went in and greeted Nicole and her two kids Kimberly & Courtney. Nicole was nervous to meet Olivia because this was her new boss. She was nervous and hoped she could do a good job. Her Aunt Marta had done so much for her and she did not want to let her down. Olivia loved Nicole. She was a lot like Marta. She could tell they would work well together. Olivia informed her to come in at nine tomorrow and they were going to start working on some projects. Fitz informed Nicole that he had gotten her two kids into Sidwell and the kids would be brought her afterschool. They knew Marta would want to take care of them until Nicole finished work. Fitz had already paid the girls tuition.

Nicole thanked them. Fitz apologized to her that Marta had not gotten to spend more time with her mom. Marta had already told her that Fitz was not the issue but his ex-wife. She had kept up with the stories so she knew what was going on.

Nicole said, "_Mr. President, thank you but there is no need to apologize for the actions of your ex-wife. Auntie told us about Mellie. She has also never been happier than she has been recently. We have never been a large family so losing mom was hard. She was never able to have children so her dream opportunity came when she was hired by your family. Mellie made it hard but she loved the kids so much. She called me and told me about Olivia and how you treat her. Thank you. I wish I could do more. I would probably be homeless without her. Now you are helping me too. My mom always told us that hard work pays off. I guess she was right."_

Nicole started crying. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity in front of her and to be back with her aunt. Fitz had sent a text asking them to bring Marta down.

Tom opened the door and nodded. Olivia got up and went to the door. When Marta looked at Olivia she became nervous. She was worried that maybe Olivia was upset with her for what she said in Vermont.

Olivia spoke, _"Thank you for everything that you have done. I know that you have sacrificed so much without flinching. I told you that you were a part of this family. I meant that. We have all had some terrible times and now we are looking at better days. I nor Fitz can erase some of the things Mellie did, but going forward we can make your days brighter starting with this."_

Olivia stepped aside so that Marta could see Nicole, Kimberly, and Courtney. It was an emotional moment. Olivia went and sat in Fitz's lap and allowed them to reunite.

Marta finally gather herself together and they all went and sat on the couch in front of Olivia and Fitz.

Marta still emotional, _"Thank you so much for bringing them here. We don't have the money now to visit each other a lot."_

Olivia smiled, _"Marta I know. I had Huck to give me your background. I wanted to know more about you, but I didn't want you to get the impression that I was getting rid of you. He provided me with the details of Mellie not giving you time to spend with your sister, how you had to use your vacation to bury her. We also found out about you niece and great-nieces. I called Nicole and she told me about her wish to be closer to you. She was in need of a job. Nicole is my new assistant. She now lives in my apartment with the girls, and Fitz has paid for the girls to go to Sidwell and we know that you will keep them when needed which we are okay with. I have the staff putting together a room for them here."_

Marta was speechless. She just help onto Nicole.

Marta got up and went over to Olivia. _"I was never mad at God that I was not blessed to have kids. I always felt like Nicole was partly mine. My sister and I were co-parents. We did good. Now I have you. My two babies together. The world is a better place. I love you."_

Olivia was now crying, "_I love you more."_

They got up to head to the residence so Nicole could meet the kids and see where the girls and Marta would be. Before they headed up Olivia turned around.

"_Nicole, you are part of this family now. Vacations and holidays you will be a part of. Sometimes we may have to work before we play but you will still be a part of them."_

Nicole smiled, _"I look forward to it."_

They headed up to the residence. Nicole and her kids were introduced to the kids and Nicole introduced her kids. Courtney was six and Kimberly was eleven. Kimberly and Karen became instant friends.

The chef had brought dinner up for everyone. Fitz & Olivia spent time with them since they had already ate. By the time dinner was over Kimberly did not want to go home. Olivia told Nicole they could stay. Kimberly was a really good big sister. You could tell that she was trying to help Nicole. Karen noticed too. It reminded her how Gerry would take care of her.

Karen smiled and caught the adults off guard when she said, _"My brother Gerry he would take care of me. He never treated me like a pest. We'll make sure to take care of Courtney."_

Kimberly and Karen grabbed Courtney and headed to the room. It took a minute for them to compose themselves. Nicole knew the President had lost his oldest child.

She was not sure what to say, _"Mr. President..."_

Fitz spoke, _"No its fine. We all miss him. I don't want Karen to get lost in all the crap that happens. My son made sure of that. I'm just proud of him."_

Fitz excused himself. Olivia stuck around long enough to say good-night to Marta and Nicole. Marta informed her that she would take care of the kids so she could spend some time with Fitz. Olivia informed Nicole she would go with her to the school tomorrow to make sure that the girls were situated. They had clothes here for them here. Nicole would bring their book bags.

Olivia stopped by Karen's room. Tom was in the room. They were putting air in an air mattress for Courtney. Kimberly & Karen were sharing her bed.

Olivia smiled, _"I was just coming in to say good-night. I am going to take you to school tomorrow so we can make sure that the girls are situated as well."_

Karen was excited that they were all going to the same school. _"Okay mom. Thank you and I love you."_

"_Love you to honey."_

Olivia turned around when she heard someone say, Ms. Pope.

She turned around and Kimberly and Courtney were at the door.

Kimberly stepped forward,_ "I just wanted to say thank you for helping us. Karen said you are a great mom to her and Teddy. I also think you are a great person for helping us. We won't let you down."_

Courtney was nodding her head with Kimberly.

Olivia stepped forward and leaned down. _"I am glad to help, but I only need you girls to do one thing. It is the same that I need of Karen. I just want you to always do your best and spread your wings. Okay."_

The girls nodded.

Olivia said, _"Good. You are apart of this family. You won't have to do everything on your own anymore. Your mom works for me so you will get to see her more. You will see your aunt more. We also look forward to you spending time with our family."_

The girls hugged Olivia and thanked her again. She finally made it to their room. When she walked in the room she found Fitz sitting outside. She noticed he had taken a shower already so she decide so shower first and then check on him.

She took a shower and washed her hair. She lotioned her body and put on her robe. She went in the room and found Fitz still siting outside.

She walked outside and noticed he had a picture in his hand. She sat in his lap and looked at the picture. It was a picture of her, Gerry, and Karen that someone took when she went to visit them at school. Fitz was supposed to go, but something happened that required him to fly to France. He had called Olivia and told her that Mellie said she could not rearrange her schedule to go in his place. She had told Fitz the kids would understand. That night she flew out and spent time with the kids. She had told them about their dad having to go to France, and he did not want them not to have a parent there.

Fitz had only found out that Olivia went when he was looking through pictures and Karen would tell him the back-story. Olivia knew the demands of his job and she had stepped in many times. There were times that they were not on speaking terms.

Fitz let Olivia hold him,_ "I miss him. Sometimes I feel like I let him down. I was more of a politician than a dad."_

Olivia sat him up, _"You know what he used to tell me when we talked_."

Fitz shook his head.

"_He said he wanted to be just like you. He did not want to be a politician, but he did want to be a lawyer. He was proud of you. He also said that you protected them from Mellie_."

_"He said if Mellie had her way you would have only seen them when a camera was on. She always wanted to be at an event or conference. He heard you say that you were not pawning off your kids."_

_"He also said that he heard you tell me that the only reason that you were sending them to boarding school is that they would have more of a childhood than if you would kept them with him. He knew Mellie would pawn them off and drag them from event to event. They hated boarding school because they were not with you, but loved boarding school because they were away from Mellie_."

Fitz did not know that, _"Thank you for being the other parent even when we were not together. I love you heart and soul. I know I have not always done right by you or made the best decisions. I know my jealousy is a bit much at times, but I never want to lose you. I know I handled the Jake situation all wrong. It is my fault to begin with that he was ever in your life, but I can't go back to being without you so whatever you need me to do I will because I need you as my wife and the mother of my kids. I need you to help me run this nation. I want us to continue to give back and build people up. We are both rich and I don't want to be those people at the top of the mountain looking down. I want to bring people with us. I want to create a foundation in honor of Gerry and make this world a better place for years to come."_

Olivia smiled, _"You never have to thank me for being by your side. I didn't always make it easy. I had been alone for so long that I could not believe that you wanted me for me. You never tried to change me. I was always good enough for you. We both handled Jake wrong but we have fixed it. We aren't perfect so there will be problems, but we work through them like we did and move on. I did what I did today because I want us. No I need us and I have no time for the petty things to be in our way. Teddy is young so he won't feel the Mellie effect but Karen has. She is about to turn 13. It is time she stop looking over her shoulder waiting for the other shoe to drop. We will do that. I agree with you. We are two power people. I guess two of the most powerful people in the world. We have 3 1/2 years in office to affect change, and we will build on our own endeavors once we leave office. We will work on starting the foundation. I'll have my team to handle most of it while we are in office, and we can take over primary responsibilities once we leave office."_

Fitz nodded, _"Okay_"

Olivia leaned down and began to kiss him. She started kissing and licking his neck. She needed to be one with him.

She opened her robe and Fitz saw that she had nothing on. He attempted to pick her up, but Olivia had other ideas.

Olivia never broke the kiss. She slipped her tongue in his mouth while she pulled his pants down. She was fisting his semi-erect cock and it took no time for Fitz's cock to be standing at full attention.

Olivia leaned back and whispered in his ear, _"Let me do all the work. I'm taking care of you tonight!"_

Before Fitz could form a thought Olivia had slid down onto his cock.

Fitz threw his head back, "_Shit Livvie_"

"_I got you baby. I'm taking care of you Mr. President_"

Olivia was riding Fitz like she was on a horse. She was riding him slow but deep.

_"Don't move baby. I got this."_

Olivia picked up the pace. She leaned over and whispered in his ear while riding him, _"I can't wait till this is no longer practice."_

Olivia started riding him harder, "_I can't wait till I'm carrying your baby and I need you to fuck me good because of my pregnancy hormones_.

Fitz was in a haze

Olivia was no longer riding him she was more like bucking him,_ "I can't wait till I'm officially your wife. Finally making your dream come true_.

Fitz couldn't take it anymore. He picked Olivia up and moved her to the rail and thrust into her.

He fucked Olivia without abandon

"_Shit Shit Fitz. Oh God!"_

She could not hold on.

"_I'm cuming, I'm cumming. Fitz Fitz"_

"_Let Go Livvie. Two thrust later they both went over."_

Fitz just slid them down to the ground. It took a minute before they composed themselves.

They both needed a shower. He picked her up and he took them to the shower.

They washed each other. Fitz grabbed them some pajamas.

They climbed in bed.

Fitz looked at Olivia.

Olivia said, "_I meant every word."_

Fitz smiled. They got comfortable and in no time they were out. They had not slept well in a couple of days due to their disagreement, but it was behind them and they were moving forward.

**TOGETHER!**

**A/N-Olivia was back. A new harsher Olivia is also around. In this story I wanted to develop and add people for good. On the show new people come but it is to always cause issues. I wanted to change that. I have another story idea where I plan on sticking to the core group. Thanksgiving is coming up. Olivia is making plans for when she gets married. It is time for her to prepare to get married. If I get to 70 before Thanksgiving. I will give you an update which will include dinner at the Grants where something big will happen.**


	19. The New Olivia

**A/N-Thank you for all of your reviews. The most recent reviews have been very helpful. KWsGladiator gave me some insight that I plan to use. I again apologize for any errors that I miss.**

Olivia & Fitz woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. They had the interview with Kimberly Mitchell in two days. In the meantime Olivia had several projects that she needed to work on. However before any of that began she had to get the kids squared away.

They really were not a big breakfast family during the week so Olivia changed the schedule of the kitchen staff. Many of them had families and there was no need for them to be in at 5:30 A.M. They had changed their schedule to come in at nine.

Olivia already had the coffee on a timer for six each morning. She went down the hall and made sure that the girls were up. Olivia knocked on the door and entered.

Olivia peeked in, "_Good morning girls."_

Everyone said good morning. Olivia had sent a text before she went to bed to pick up some things for the girls. When she woke up this morning she noticed that Lauren had sent the bag up with Tom.

She handed a bag to Kimberly & Courtney. It was an outfit and shoes. She had also got them new a book bag that had wheels on them. The girls were excited. She left them to get dressed.

She walked down the hall to Teddy's room and opened the door. He was laying in his bed that had rails on it playing with his feet.

Olivia went around so that he could see her. He looked up, "_Ma Ma Up peez_"

Olivia smiled. She would never tire of being called mom or mama. It was better than being a fixer on any day. She got Teddy up and washed him up.

"_What do you say about spending the day with mama working?"_

Teddy laughed, "_Work mama_"

_"Yeah baby we are going to work."_

Olivia got Teddy dressed and grabbed his computer and some games and put them in the book bag she bought for him.

He wanted to be a big boy so she put it on his back and they walked to the kitchen.

Teddy took his bag off and climbed into his booster seat like Olivia had taught him. She made him a bowl of cereal and brought it to him.

The girls had come out. She asked if they wanted cereal or begals for breakfast. All three girls wanted bagels. She toasted their bagels and put cream cheese on the table and made them each a glass of juice

They all thanked her. Olivia noticed that Karen had given them earrings and necklaces to wear with their outfit.

Olivia smiled, "_Girls you look really pretty this morning. Are you excited about school?"_

Kimberly and Courtney replied, "_Yes mam."_

She smiled, "_Karen today is your only day that you don't have soccer practice. I know that you have grown out of a lot of your clothes so I called Erin to come over and bring some winter clothes for you. Kimberly you are the same size as Karen and I got Courtney's size from Nicole so she is going to bring over some clothes for you guys as well. She has my card information so she is going to go online and order you guys some things from Forever 21 and Gap. You know the rules Karen."_

"_Yes mom. Nothing too tight. No skirts above the knee. No cutout tops only jeans and the cutout can not show my butt."_

"_Good. Make sure that you help Kimberly & Courtney. Remember that we have Thanksgiving coming up and I'm sure we are going to take some official pictures so find something nice but comfortable. No need to have to change just for pictures. Also remember that we have to get clothes for the trip for Christmas and the Wedding so go ahead and give Erin your thoughts. Nicole & I will make the last choice."_

"_Sure Mom we will handle it."_

Olivia turned to Kimberly & Courtney, _"Girls are you okay? Do you have any questions?"_

Kimberly, _"No mam I'll make sure my sister & I just get what we need."_

Olivia smiled, _"Kimberly, I'll be honest I am a fashion fanatic so you'll find that you'll get lots of clothes and shoes from me. Karen will tell you that some things in her closet are high-end, but Karen has clothes from the Gap or Rue like any typical teen. You have done a wonderful job of working with what you have, but we have worked hard to earn our money and we like to share like Karen shared her jewelry this morning. We are giving and you don't have to anything other than do your best in school and stay respectful ."_

All three girls came over and hugged her. They finished breakfast and put their clothes and gloves on. Olivia bundled up Teddy and Tom got them safely to the car. He went and picked up Nicole.

Nicole was a beautiful woman. They had done well with what they had. Fitz had practically had Erin Walsh her stylist buy her a new wardrobe. Olivia's favorite clothes and those that were custom-made for her were brought over. The rests were left in her closet. Nicole & Olivia were the same size so she had decided that she would let Nicole keep whatever she wanted and they would give the rest away. She had sent a message to Nicole last night. She looked professional and ready to take on the world.

Tom got her safely in the car. On the way over she greeted the kids. They had told her everything that Olivia had done for them. Courtney was telling her about them getting new clothes. It was great.

The school was ready for the children. She should have known considering Fitz had handled this. You don't want to mess up anything when the President is involved. Nicole was introduced to the staff and the girl's teachers. There were no afterschool activities for Courtney, but Kimberly wanted to play basketball again. She had to stop when her grandmother got sick, but she was afraid to ask.

Olivia noticed she would not look up. Nicole was signing some forms.

Olivia walked over, "_Honey what's wrong. Do you not like the school? Are you scared? Now is the time to tell your mom? No one will be mad."_

Nicole stopped and turned around, "_Honey I won't be mad. Whatever it is we can fix it."_

Karen came over and grabbed her hand and nodded.

Kimberly finally spoke, _" I was wondering if it is possible if I could play basketball again. I don't know if there is enough money and I wasn't sure if you needed me to help with Courtney."_

Olivia nodded to Nicole,_ "Kim thank you for all the help you have provided me. Coming to D.C. allows us all better opportunities. If you want to play basketball again then you can. I will work with Olivia to make sure that you get to where you need to go. Also don't worry about Courtney. Grammie Marta is going to help out and I am going to look into finding her something to do as well. Karen plays soccer so I'm sure we'll be fine."_

Olivia smiled at Kimberly, _"What did I tell you last night?"_

Kimberly smiled, "_The only thing you needed me to do was work hard. Do my best and be respectful."_

Olivia smiled, "_That's my gladiator."_

Nicole finished signing their papers and the girls went off to class.

Olivia, Teddy, & Nicole made it back to the White House and went to their office. When she walked in she noticed nothing was there. All of the items were still items of Mellie. She was confused. She was about to call Fitz when Abby came in.

_"Hi Liv"_

_"Hi Abby. I was about to call Fitz. I thought he had set up my office for me."_

_"Oh he did. That is why I'm here. Let's go_"

Abby took her over to the West Wing on the second floor. He had set her up in the West Wing. Olivia looked at her office which was set up similar to her office at OPA. The TVs were there. The desk was similar but everything else was for her to choose.

She knew it was Fitz's way of saying to her that they were doing this together. She loved him all the more in that moment.

Olivia turned around. She was trying to keep her emotions in check, _"Abby I know that he is in negotiations but please thank him for me. Let him know Nicole & I will be here for a while we have a lot of projects to work on."_

Abby came over and gave her a hug and nodded. She went back over to her office to gather some documents to take to her next meeting with the President.

Nicole sat down and handed Olivia an Apple Macbook. Olivia was curious about what she needed with it.

Nicole smiled, "_I like to be ready. I technically started working a week ago." Abby helped me buy them."_

Olivia smiled. She knew she was going to like Nicole.

Nicole continued, _"Lauren sent me the President's schedule. I have downloaded the schedule to both of our MacBooks. It is on a shared drive so that anytime there are changes once I make them you will be able to see them. I have also created your schedule for the next month. It does not have a lot now, but as you take on First Lady duties that will change. Lauren will be providing the President with your schedule as well. I also created a schedule for the kids. Any appointments or activities are up there for you to see."_

Olivia nodded, _"I like that. Make sure that you add Kimberly & Courtney to that schedule. I want to see what they have going on so I can see how we will need to make adjustments to your schedule."_

Nicole nodded. _"I got your email on the list of projects and meetings that you wanted to set up."_

Nicole confirmed, "_Jeff Lewis will be here at twelve to go over the interior designs projects that you want to discuss with him."_

_"I spoke with Kimberly Mitchell and confirmed the interview and the time. She will be here at six to set up and you and the President are set to go live at seven. Erin emailed me and confirmed that she will be here tomorrow at four to make sure that your suit fits."_

_"I also spoke with David and he has set up a conference with you for eleven. I emailed him the destination that you want to have the wedding at. He said he will have preliminary information for you this morning."_

_"You also have a meeting tomorrow with the White House Social Secretary to go over the plans for the State Dinner that is coming up."_

_" I was able to get a conference call set up at 3:30 with Georgetown University, George Washington University, and John Hopkins University to discuss their willingness to accept Alana, Amelia, and Christina into their school. I added their contact information into your contact list on your computer. I also sent them an email letting them know who I was and that they may want to copy me on the emails in the event you are busy I may be able to get to them quicker than you can once you become First Lady."_

_Olivia smiled. I agree. Thank you for thinking of that. I'll let them know I am okay with that when I speak to them and assure them you will look out for them._

_"Oh, I contacted Kerry and she reached out to me and said that she will be in New York spending time with her family for Thanksgiving. They are not filming right now."_

Olivia thought for a moment, _"Can you email her and see if we can meet Monday after Thanksgiving in New York. I can fly out Sunday and come back Tuesday. I will take Teddy with me. Can you and Marta handle the girls?"_

Nicole made notes. _"Sure not a problem. Anything else?"_

Olivia thought,_ "Oh one other thing. We are going to have to go to New York one weekend to just do wedding stuff. David has an office in New York so I guess it needs to be when he can come. The girls need a dress. You'll need a dress. Marta will need one. I have not thought a lot about what I want yet, but I need to. That is on our to do list."_

Nicole noted that, _"Okay we can talk about that soon. I think your hands are full now."_

_"By the way your fiancée informed me that I had to make sure that you eat. Even if it is a working lunch."_

Olivia laughed, "_Thanks, oh I knew I forgot something. Can you call Dr. Jackie for me and schedule an appointment for me to have my IUD removed?"_

Nicole smiled, "_That's exciting."_

Olivia smiled, "_It is. I never wanted to be a mom. All I cared about was my career. Then I met Gerry, and Karen, and later Teddy and my whole world changed."_

Nicole was shocked, "_I would never have guessed it. I mean your reputation speaks for itself, but to see you with the kids even mine you are a wonderful mother. I know that having kids with Fitz will only add to your joy."_

Olivia nodded, "_It will. She looked at Teddy who was playing with his computer. They are my world. I don't want my own to put them aside. I want to add to our family. I just want you to know you did great with the girls. They are kind and respectful."_

Nicole smiled,_ "Thank you. So is Karen. I'll admit I was nervous. We never had much. I've worked for CEOs and they are not half as nice as you and the President and you guys have a lot more power."_

_"Well Fitz & I understand that we have power but instead of using it to bully people we have decided to use it to lift people up. There are people out there as smart as Fitz and I that just need a hand to show the world what they can do. It is what we instill in Karen. Sure she has all the latest gadgets and nice clothes. We take wonderful trips, but she knows that is not who she is."_

_"Thank you again for what you have done for us. I've always wanted to be better not only for myself but my girls. I hope to one day be able to take classes online and get my college degree. I mean this is a dream job, but I want to earn a degree one day."_

_Olivia walked over to Nicole. "You will. Let's get me married and adjusted to being the first lady. Get the girls on a schedule and make sure that you are comfortable with your duties and then you sign up to take classes online. When we leave office I want to expand OPA so I think that you getting your degree would be not only a personal goal but one that would allow me to use you in a higher level place one day_."

Nicole hugged Olivia,_ "Deal"_

Nicole went to her office to work. Olivia spent time with Teddy until her first meeting.

Olivia pulled Teddy onto her lap, _"Show mommy what you are playing with."_

Teddy & Olivia went through a lesson where Teddy learned shapes. He was counting to ten. They were also working on him forming sentences.

Once they were done Olivia let him switch over to games. She had also brought him his new coloring kit. Soon he would be able to bring his trains down.

He started coloring and then he looked up at Olivia, _"Color ma ma"_

Olivia sat down at the table with him and colored. She adored Teddy. She had not spent as much time with him as she should have. There were times she felt so guilty because of why he was even here. Olivia had to remember that no longer mattered. They were doing right by him.

Olivia kissed his head, "_Mommy loves you with all her heart."_

Teddy put his crayon down and climbed in Olivia's lap, "_Luv you too ma to moon."_

Olivia laughed, "_Yep mommy loves you to the moon and back."_

_"You want a snack buddy?"_

Teddy nodded

_"Use your words baby."_

"_Yes peez. Chez and crackers ma ma"_

Olivia set up Teddy's snack.

Olivia moved to her desk. Shortly after she sat down Nicole called her and informed her David was on line one for her.

Olivia put her phone on speaker, "_Hi David how are you?"_

David responded, "_I'm good Ms. Pope. I was excited to hear from you."_

"_Thanks but please call me Olivia."_

_"Sure Olivia"_

David continued, _"I got the email from your assistant and it seems that you want to contract me to handle three events. Is that correct?"_

_"Yes. I know that I could use the White House staff, but for my personal family events I want you to handle those. Karen's 13th birthday is coming up the second week in December. We are getting married on New Year's Day. I know that I am asking a lot of you to come with us so Fitz & I want you to bring your family. We will cover your expenses so that you can have Christmas with your family. Of course we would like you to stop by and see us at some point. Bring whatever staff you need. Fitz said to let you know they can bring their families as well since it is the holidays. We of course just need to book ahead of time and get their information so that Secret Service can vet them. Finally, Fitz's birthday is in March. I want to plan something kind of like my party was. No gala this is a private dinner but we have time for that. There could possible be a fourth event and that would be my baby shower if everything works out. So what do you say."_

David was floored. He had done celebrity clients but to have your name attached to the first lady was a no brainer. Also they were generous and kind. They had been a joy to work with for Olivia's birthday. The President was more pleasant than many celebrities.

_"Olivia that sounds fine. I will get a contract sent to you for Karen's birthday party and your wedding. Do you have a budget in mind?"_

_"No we are not going to set one. We will decide what we want and pay for it. As far as Karen's party is concerned I need to talk to her to get an idea of what she wants and who she wants and then we can finish that and find the cost, but again no set budget."_

_"Okay well I did some research on your site. I have made some calls and there are a couple of locations for you to choose from. I will get that to you. I do want to make you aware that to get married there you have to have a civil ceremony before you leave to make the marriage legal so we need to get the paperwork sent out ASAP to ensure we get the marriage license. I emailed you the information I need to send off for that. I would suggest that you do the civil ceremony before you leave. We also need to discuss if you are going to allow any media coverage for the wedding so that I can prepare for that"_

_"Okay sounds good."_

_"What about fashion and colors Olivia?"_

_"I have some ideas. I want to run them by Fitz and then I will email you my final choices. I was telling Nicole that we need to come down one weekend to get their dresses and I would assume make some selections."_

_"Yes let me get with Alyssa and find out what weekend will be best and I will schedule you in."_

_"Sounds good. David thanks for taking these events on. I am not a person that is great at planning events. I just like the end resort."_

_"Don't worry Olivia you are in good hands."_

_"I know. Talk soon David._

_"Bye Olivia_."

Olivia had about 15 minutes before Jeff was set to arrive. She went over and cleaned Teddy up. She knew he was getting sleepy so she got him comfortable in her lap and began to read to him.

Olivia left her door open so they would not knock and wake Teddy up. She got Teddy comfortable on the couch. She put a throw over him and went and introduced herself to Jeff.

_"Hi Jeff I'm Olivia Pope and I know you have met my assistant Nicole. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."_

_"It is a pleasure Ms. Pope."_

_"Please call me Olivia."_

_"Sure Olivia, how can I help you?"_

_"I need a couple of projects here completed. Three of them right away and a fourth down the line. My assistant two girls will be spending a lot of time here at the White House. I would like to have a room that we put aside for them designed. They are 11 and 6 so we will have to find a balance. This is the office that has been put aside for me. I would like the office set up similar to my office at OPA. I know that Nicole emailed you pictures. However I need a office that is kid friendly, but professional at the same time. I want Teddy to have his own space in here as well as our future children. Also our nanny Marta's room needs to be updated. I took pictures and I will email them to you. I want her room here to be similar to the one she has in our Vermont residence. Down the road I will need help designing a nursery."_

_"I can handle that for you Olivia. What is your timeline?"_

_"A week. Thanksgiving is coming up soon and I want the rooms to be done and I want the girls to have their own space."_

_"I can do that. I have brought over my design ideas based on the information that I received_."

Olivia and Jeff went over the proposal. There were small changes that she requested. She wrote him a check to keep him. Jeff informed Olivia that he would be back in two days. He was going to go out to buy the items that he needed. Olivia informed him that was fine and made sure that he had her and Nicole's contact information.

Olivia had Nicole to order them so lunch. Teddy woke up and she washed him up and they sat at a table in her office and enjoyed lunch.

Olivia had been working with Teddy to feed himself without making a big mess. He had done well today and there was little food on the table.

Olivia smiled, "_Good job Teddy. Mommy is proud of you for eating like a big boy."_

Teddy laughed, "_Good boy ma ma_"

"_Yes good boy."_

_"Watch movie pez ma ma"_

_"Okay buddy."_

Olivia went and put on Thomas the Train. She went back to working on her possible platform. She had not made a final decision. She had a little time so she was researching to decide where the most needs where.

Nicole set up her conference with the schools. She had received the girls high school transcripts. The girls had maintained a 3.5 to 4.0 GPA. It made their request a lot easier that the girls were smart and responsible. After speaking with the heads of each college they agreed that they could make room for the girls. Olivia negotiated in return that they would give each school whether the girls attended or not a donation. Once out of office they would also like to set up scholorships to be given out through their foundation once it was set up. Olivia informed them she would be in touch with them soon as the goal was to get the girls in college in January.

Olivia was tired. She had not used her brain this much in sometime. At times she would still forget small things or easily confuse herself. She made sure to made notes of everything now so she could refer to it.

They needed to get up to the residence to see the girls so Olivia and Nicole finished up and headed upstairs.

Fitz's day had been frustrating to say the least. This militant group was killing innocent people to advance their cause. This was the time that he hated being President. They still had not pinpointed who was responsible, but had made a lot of progress. He knew that he would not be heading home anytime soon.

Fitz called Olivia to let her know.

Olivia answered her phone, _"Hi honey_"

Fitz smiled, "_Hi sweet baby. How are you?"_

"_Tired. Lots of meetings and trying to get things squared away."_

_"How are you? Any luck with the hostage situation."_

_"Some progress has been made but not enough to my satisfaction."_

_"It will come. I know it is hard because people are losing their lives, but stay focused and I know that you will make the right call."_

_"I hope so, but that means I won't be up anytime soon."_

_"I guessed that. It is okay. I know what your job is."_

_"Thank you for being by my side."_

_"You don't have to thank me for something that I am supposed to be doing."_

_"Well I asked Abby to order us something before we head back in."_

_"Okay honey eat and go be great. Oh and thank you for the office. It means a lot to me."_

_"Anything for you. I love you."_

_"I love you too Fitz. Wake me when you get in."_

_"Okay."_

When Fitz ended the call he felt better. It was nice to have a partner who wanted to be there for him with no agenda. It made running the country a lot easier.

Fitz paged Lauren to come into his office. Fitz relayed his request. Lauren let him know that she would get on it and left.

**A/N-So for a Thanksgiving treat I am proving you a three chapter update. This chapter focused on Olivia as she begins to make steps to make the White House her home as well as getting ready to become First Lady. The wedding is coming up so lots of decisions to be made.**


	20. One Step Back and Two Steps Forward

**A/N-Here is the next chapter and it is part of the chapters that I'm posting as a Thanksgiving gift to my followers**.

Olivia got to the residence and realized that she was really tired. She had not worked that long since she had been shot. However she had to make sure that the girls were okay.

She went to Karen's room where they found the girls. Kimberly and Courtney went and greeted Nicole while Karen went over to Olivia.

Olivia asked, "_How was school today girls?"_

Everyone said good.

Olivia then asked, _"How did everything go with Erin?"_

Karen replied, _"It was fun. Erin brought over clothes from Rue 21, GAP, and Aeropostale. She didn't want you to have to wait on our clothes to come in. We have plenty. There were also a couple of things that she is going to order once you approve. She also had some dress ideas that she wanted to run by you."_

Olivia nodded, "_Okay girls let's take a look."_

The girls showed Olivia & Nicole the clothes they selected. They were all age appropriate and cute.

She heard Karen say something but her head was starting to pound more and more. She had a headache all day but had worked through it. After getting no response from her mom she turned around.

"_Mom_"

Karen went over to Olivia and noticed that she looked like she was in a lot of pain.

Karen asked Nicole to call Tom in, "_Mom what's hurt?"_

Olivia nodded, "_I'm fine honey just tired. I need to get dinner ready."_

Olivia stood up and became dizzy. That's the last thing that she remembered.

She woke up in her bed. She was in one of Fitz's navy t-shirts and some silk pajama bottoms.

She tried to sit up but immediately felt dizzy and her head was pounding. She leaned back into the pillow.

She heard the door open but her head just felt so heavy. Finally she was able to turn around.

Fitz was walking out of his closet. She could see the stress and pain on his face. For some reason that really bothered her and she began to cry.

Fitz came over. He was whispering since he knew she had a headache, "_Baby I'm here. I got you."_

Olivia just continued to cry, _"I'm so sorry Fitz. I'm sorry. I know you did not sign up for this. You have the country to worry about. You should not have to worry about your fiancé."_

"_Livvie you are wrong. You and the kids are my first priority. Never think otherwise_."

"_My head it just hurts so bad and I got dizzy. I ate lunch. I am not sure what happened."_

Fitz nodded, _"Marta called Derek & Meredith. Meredith came over and they think that you just overworked your brain. Your brain is trying to keep up with all the information that it was given. They just think the brain was stressed a little is the best way to describe it. You will be fine. You'll need to rest and regroup. I'll get Abby to meet with the Social Secretary for the State Dinner. She knows you so she'll make selections to your liking. Marta will handle the kids. Then we have our interview in 48 hours."_

Olivia nodded, "_I'm sorry. This is embarrassing. What First Lady can't handle meetings and conferences and her child_."

Fitz leaned over and looked Olivia in the eye, "_There is nothing for you to be sorry about. You survived being shot in the head. You worked hard to get your life back. So what your brain is on overload. Take a day give it a break and then come back in moderation. You take care of me, the kids, managing your team, helping others. You are fine. I'm not embarrassed in the least. I'm proud to be your other half."_

Olivia smiled, _"Okay_"

Fitz pulled her between his legs, "_Are you hungry?"_

"_Not now_."

"_Okay well Meredith gave you a shot to help your headache. You'll be sleepy soon. Once you wake up we will see if you are hungry and if not find something to put on your stomach so you can take your meds."_

_"Okay. I love you Fitz. Tell the kids I love them and I'm sorry."_

_"I love you to Livvie. There is nothing to be sorry about_."

Fitz held Olivia until the medicine kicked in and she was asleep. He covered her up and went in the living room where everyone was. God this woman was loved. The concern on everyone's face was obvious.

Karen ran to her dad crying. She was scared. She just wanted her mom to be okay.

"_Dad its my fault. She has been going non-stop. I should have paid more attention. She was just doing so well_."

_"Ladybug you are fine. Your mom was in the room worried about her kids and not herself. I should have watched her more too, but the reality is she is Olivia Pope. She is trying to prove to herself that she is worthy to be here. She wants to be a good wife, mom, boss, philanthropist. We can't change her. She needs to feel like herself. We can give her the space that she needs, but check on her a little more."_

Karen nodded. Marta informed them that dinner was ready. They all sat down to eat. Teddy finished his meal. He looked at Fitz

"_I eat with no mess da da. Mama happy_"

Fitz smiled. Olivia had been working with Teddy on eating properly and not making a mess. He had almost perfected it.

_"Good job buddy_!"

"_Want mama_ _peez. Want mama peez."_

Fitz told Teddy that Olivia was sleep. Teddy began to cry. He could tell that Teddy was not going to be satisfied until he seen Olivia. He had gotten so accustomed to her taking care of him.

Fitz got up. I'll take you to see mommy but you have to be quiet she does not feel good .

Teddy nodded.

They walked to the bedroom. Olivia was knocked out. Teddy crawled on the bed. He got under the covers and cuddled under Olivia. He kissed her check and said, "_Night Night mama Luv you_."

Teddy closed his eyes and went to sleep. Fitz was thankful Marta had given him a bath and put his night-clothes on.

Fitz left them to sleep. Fitz took a picture. He went out and showed it to them. It was too cute. Fitz still had some work to do because he was called upstairs when Olivia got sick.

Fitz spoke with Nicole who confirmed she would take care of her appointments. She would go to the meeting with Abby so she can fill Olivia in. She filled Fitz in on everything Olivia had done today.

Jason took Nicole and the kids home. Karen went to her room to complete her homework and get ready for school. Marta informed Fitz that she would check on Olivia.

Fitz had called Rowan to let him know what happened to Olivia. He called him back to let him know she was okay. She was resting. She was not going to be in the office tomorrow so he could either come by or call depending on his schedule.

When he got back to his office he found Cyrus still working.

Cyrus got up, "_How is Olivia_?"

Fitz went over to the couch, _"She's Olivia. She will be fine. Her brain was just in overload. Meredith thinks that her brain was trying to process too much. She has a severe migraine so she was given a shot so she can rest. Teddy is in the bed with her."_

Cyrus nodded, "_I'm glad she is going to be fine. She is not the same Olivia I knew as my star pupil. She is a better Olivia. However the one thing that has remained the same is her will to fight. No one does it better_."

Fitz nodded, "_I agree. It is the reason that I fought for her even against you. She is my better half. She has taken care of me and my kids even when I did not know it. Nothing is more important than them. I stayed here for a second term because of her belief in me, and her belief that we can do something great."_

Cyrus nodded, "_You will. Oh and Lauren said to let you know that your request had been handled and will be ready in time for the interview_."

Fitz nodded. They got back to work. Fitz read over to briefs. Signed documents that needed his signature, and went over intel on the hostage situation.

Meanwhile upstairs Olivia was beginning to wake up. She felt a body under her, but it was not big so she knew it wasn't Fitz. She finally opened her eyes to find Teddy in the bed with her.

Tom heard her waking up so she let Marta know. When Olivia came out the bathroom Marta had a tray for her.

Marta smiled at her. She helped Olivia get back in bed, _"How are you sweetie?"_

Olivia moved over so that Marta could get on the bed, "_I'm still tired. I still have a headache but it is not as bad."_

Marta smiled, _"I brought you something light to try to eat so you can take your meds."_

Olivia ate some of the soup and crackers. She also drank the green tea. Once she got it in her system she felt better.

Olivia asked, _"How did the little one end up in bed with me?"_

Marta said, "_After dinner he freaked out a little that you were not with us. Fitz agreed to bring him in to see you so he knew you were okay. Instead he climbed in bed gave you a kiss and cuddled up and went to bed_."

Olivia smiled. She put her head in Marta's lap,_ "I love them. They are my world. I'm scared that my issues are too much for them. The last thing they need is more pain."_

Marta grabbed Olivia's brush and began to brush her hair, _"You are right they don't need any more pain. That is why you just being you is enough for them. I just watched your daughter & your fiancée a couple of hours ago berate themselves for not checking on you more. Fitz gave Karen sound advice that they have to let you be you, but just check on you a little more."_

Marta gathered herself. Olivia looked up to see her crying. _"I love you Marta. I haven't had a mother since I was 12. I was 12 the last night she brushed my hair. Thank for stepping up and being the mother figure I need. Thank you for your advice. I welcome it."_

Marta smiled, "_ You are such a wonderful human being and you need to see that. It is not a marathon to recover from the shooting. You may always experience some type of issue. That being said it does not matter to us. Whatever way that God says you will be is good enough for us. Why? Because all of you was better than Mellie at anytime. I have my family back because of you. Those girls deserve a break. You gave it to them. They are happier than they have ever been. It's not because of the money and the nice things they have received. It is because they are loved. We are loved by you for who we are. No one ever has to be extra_."

_"Rest sweetie. Regroup tomorrow and the next day you'll be fine."_

Marta held her until she was sleep again. As she was getting up Fitz came in the room. He smiled. He got Teddy and went and put him in his bed.

Marta informed Fitz she ate something before she went back to sleep. Fitz thanked her for all that she had done.

Marta said, "_You never have to thank me for taking care of my adopted daughter and grandchildren. It is a pleasure_."

Fitz smiled, "_Does that make me your adopted son_?"

"_Do you want to be?"_

"_ I think it would benefit me. Rowan has helped me to be a better man since we talked. You have also make me better. Your talk meant a lot to me."_

_"Then you are my adopted son. Most people get children earlier in life, but I guess better late than never."_

Fitz took a shower and climbed in the bed. He was going to work from the residence tomorrow. He had to think about his health and Olivia.

The next morning Fitz got out of bed to fix Karen some breakfast. He made her a breakfast sandwich and poured her a glass of orange juice.

Karen sat down, "_Thanks dad. How is mom doing this morning_?"

Fit was about to respond when he heard someone say, _'A lot better_."

They turned around and Olivia was walking towards them. Karen got up and gave her a hug. She went and sat on Fitz's lap.

"_Mom is good sweetie. How are you and what's on the agenda today_?"

_"I'm good mom. I have a math test today and I have to turn in my English project. I also have soccer practice today."_

_"Good deal. Have a good day sweetie. Remember to get the schedule and site for the tournament so that we have enough time for Secret Service to come up with a plan to attend."_

_"I will mom. Love you and please get some rest today."_

_"I will and I love you too."_

Karen and Jason left. Fitz got up and fix them a cup of coffee. He brought their cups to the island.

Olivia noticed that Fitz was still in his pajamas, _"Um Mr. President why are you not getting dressed for work_?"

Fitz smiled, "_Well First Lady I am working from home today_."

_"Sounds good. I'll let Marta take care of Teddy. Can you lay back down with me? I still have a slight headache_."

"_Sure honey_." They sent over your prescription for your migraines. He grabbed her a glass of water and they headed back to their room.

Olivia took her medicine and they climbed back in the bed and went to sleep. They spent a lazy day at home. Nicole came by to check on her and let her know that she had everything under control.

Erin had stopped by to bring her suit for the interview tomorrow. She loved the choice. She would be wearing a Escada Checkerboard Jacquard Jacket with the matching Jacquard Skirt. She also brought over two pair of Jimmy Choo Patent Leather Point-Toe Pumps in black and Nude to choose from. Olivia tried everything on and no alterations needed to be made.

They spent time with the kids. Olivia was excited that her migraine was gone, but she was still tired. After dinner and watching some TV with the kids they went to bed.

Olivia slept well. She woke up feeling refreshed. She got up and got Karen off to school. Fitz was already in the office working since they had the interview today he wanted to get some things completed. Olivia went and got Teddy up. After breakfast she got him dressed in comfy clothes.

Nicole came up. She had no major meetings. Jeff was coming to work on her office and the girls bedroom. Nicole said she would take care of him. Olivia decided to work from the residence.

Olivia & Teddy enjoyed their lazy day. They worked on him learning more shapes and counting to 20. After his lessons she allowed him to watch Doc McStuffins.

Olivia's glam squad arrived around four to help her get ready. Once Olivia was dressed she went down to meet Fitz.

Lauren let her know that she could go in. When Olivia walked in Fitz looked at her stunned.

Olivia was a beautiful woman but seeing her looking so regal and First Lady did something to him.

Olivia was nervous, "_Do you not like it?"_

Fitz went over to her, _"I love it. You are a beautiful woman but you look so regal. Other than for formal events I have never seen you in a skirt. I love it."_

Olivia smiled, _"Well Olivia Pope, crisis manager wears suits to command respect. Olivia Pope-Grant wears more dresses and skirt suits to soften her and be more approachable."_

Fitz smiles, _"Ready to tell the world. There is no turning back when we tell them."_

Olivia laughs. _"Well then let's tell them because I don't want to go back."_

Fitz & Olivia were taken over to Blair House where Kimberly was already set up. They got them set up. Kimberly asked how they were doing before beginning the interview. She nodded at Fitz to let him know she got his message.

It was time to do their interview.

Kimberly Mitchell: _**Good evening. I am with President Grant and his girlfriend Olivia Pope. Recently I interviewed them after Olivia was released from the hospital after surviving a gun shot wound to the head. They are back today with a special announcement.**_

Kimberly turns to the couple. _**President Grant, Olivia. How are you?**_

Fitz and Olivia replied, _**Good!**_

Kimberly: **_Olivia, how is your recovery going?_**

Olivia:**_ I continue to improve everyday. I had a small lapse recently. My brain is still healing so I have_ to be patient. I am just thankful to be alive. I thank everyone for their support especially the support of my family**.

Kimberly: **_Well I know that you are both busy people so let's jump into it. We_ were informed that you had a special announcement to make to America**.

President Grant: _**Yes. I would like to thank everyone for their love, support, and patience. It had been a trying time for me personally, but I made sure that the American people were not affected. Olivia has been my life line for some time. She is my better half. She has always believed in me, and wanted nothing but the best. Who I am was always good enough for her. That is why on her birthday I proposed to Olivia in Puerto Rico and she said yes.**_

Kimberly smiled. She looked at Olivia, "_**Congratulations."**_

They showed pictures of the engaged couple from the professional shots the photographer took.

Kimberly: _**Olivia, were you surprised?"**_

Olivia: **_I was more than surprised. Fitz & my family treated me like royalty. I was taken to a resort to ski and vacation with the family. I was surprised with a dinner party the night before my birthday. I told Fitz so time ago I had always wanted to go to Puerto Rico so on my birthday he took me. It was a perfect day of fun in the sun, a spa day, and finally a romantic dinner on the beach. After a fireworks show he set up I turned around to find him on one knee._**

Kimberly: **_Can we see your ring?_**

Olivia removed her hand from under Fitz to show her engagement ring

Kimberly:_**It is beautiful. What is the significance of the amethyst stones?**_

Olivia took a moment to compose herself.

Olivia:_** I had told Fitz that when I was a little girl my mom & I use to have tea parties. One of my fondest memories was when my mom had set up for us to go to a lunch and then a tea party afterwards. She had bought us purple dresses to wear. I had expressed to Fitz that if I ever got married I would love to have purple stones in my ring so that I would feel my mom close to me.**_

Kimberly: _**President Grant well done. Were you nervous?**_

Fitz: _**I was not nervous until it was time for me to propose. I have a demanding job that keeps me away for long periods of time sometimes. I am always on call. I also have two wonderful children, but I understand that is a lot to take on.**_

Olivia: **_It is a lot to take on, but I helped Fitz get into office. I knew what I am signing up for. As far as the kids they are easy to love._**

Kimberly_**: Recently we seen in the news that the former First Lady gave up her parental rights for both kids. The President's SSA also signed his rights away since he is Teddy's biological son. Are you still adopting the kids?**_

Fitz: _**Yes. Olivia had already filed the papers necessary for her to be come the legal mother of both children. I filed paperwork to become the legal father for Teddy.**_

Kimberly: _**Have you decided on a date and site for the wedding?**_

Olivia: _**Yes we** **will be married on New Year's Day. We are not disclosing the site at this time****.**_

Kimberly: _**Will it be a large wedding?**_

Olivia: _**I am not sure. I don't want it to too big, but considering who we are that** **might not be an option**_.

Fitz: _**She will have whatever she wants. The size will be determined by us. Being the President is my job and I take it seriously. Getting married to the love of my life is private. We will make the best decision for us.**_

Kimberly:**_ Are you planning to have any kids between the two of you?_**

Olivia & Fitz nodded:**_ Yes._**

Kimberly: _**Again congratulations. I know this is an exciting time in your life. President Grant is there anything else you wanted to add?**_

Fitz:_** Yes. Our family has been through a bit. This is a wonderful time for us. Olivia & my daughter Karen are true survivors and I want them to know that I love them very much. I want to give them both something to show my love for them. I think they will make wonderful additions to our family.**_

Olivia was smiling and trying not to look puzzled. The door opened and in came two Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies. One was brown all over and the other was white with brown ears.

Olivia was shocked. The brown puppy came over and jumped in Olivia's lap.

Kimberly: _**Olivia, how do you feel about the new additions to the family?**_

Olivia: _**They are perfect and I am sure that Karen is over the moon. I have wanted one for quite some time but I did not have the time to take care of a dog.**_

Kimberly: _**Thank you for your time. I hope that your wedding is all that you want it to be.**_

Once they confirmed they were done Olivia jumped up and hugged Fitz. Olivia had told Fitz that when she slowed down she wanted a small dog. Karen has always wanted a dog, but Mellie hated them.

Olivia smiled, "_You are the best man who I know."_

Fitz smiled, "_You are the best woman who I know."_

Karen had watched the interview with Marta, Abby, Cyrus, Lauren, Nicole and the kids. When she seen her dad's gift she was thrilled.

They came up with the dogs. Karen ran up to the puppies. The white one withe brown ears licked her nose. It was clear whose dog was who. Tom appeared with bags of things for the dog that he & Lauren had picked up.

They decided to have a laid back night. They ordered pizza. After dinner they played with the dogs. Teddy liked both dogs.

Olivia was so happy with her life now. She could never thank God enough.

They got ready for bed.

Olivia said, "_Thank you for everything. I know that you want a large wedding and I am okay with that."_

Fitz stopped her, "_Olivia I just want you to have the wedding of your dreams. You will not get another one because we are never getting divorced. Whatever the size it will be determined by us_."

Olivia nodded, _"Okay."_

She cuddled up with Fitz. She was happy. It is not where she thought she would be now, but that was a good thing. They had the State Dinner and then Thanksgiving coming up. She needed to buckle down and decide what she wanted for her wedding. She would think about those things tomorrow. Tonight she would just enjoy her life. Olivia eventually fell asleep.

**A/N-The world now knows they are engaged. What do you think they should name the dogs? If you check my profile you will see links to show the outfit that Olivia wore for their interview. Also I added a link so that you can see what their dogs look like. Up next Olivia makes decisions for her wedding and Thanksgiving**.


	21. Family Blessings

**A/N-Thanks for the reviews. I wanted to comment on a couple of guest reviews that I received that I can not respond to directly. One had some concerns that I allowed Olivia to okay for Huck and Rowan to kill him. I never said he was dead. She just gave them the go ahead to deal with him how they saw fit. She did say that to Mellie, but remember Rowan left with Olivia to bring her over to see Olivia. Olivia needed Mellie to understand she was no longer running the show. The white hat Olivia was not one to hurt people by harming them. She had to show Mellie she was not the same Olivia that she used to bully. Olivia made that decision because again she had given him the benefit of the doubt but Jake doesn't love her he just loves being able to say that he has Fitz's woman. In the other review the question was posed on how could Mellie be given the death penalty. Being found guilty of treason in the United States allows for the death penalty.**

They say time flies when you are having fun. That could be said in the Grant household. The last couple of weeks they had all been going non-stop, but it was fun and exciting.

It was Thanksgiving and Olivia had gotten up at four in the morning to work on their dinner. Fitz had come to her asking what menu she wanted for Thanksgiving dinner. Olivia had informed him that she knew what she wanted, but that she wanted to prepare dinner herself. Well Marta, Nicole, and Abby would be helping. She asked him to allow the staff to spend time with their family.

There were times that Fitz had to step back and remember that he was no longer dealing with Mellie. Now was one of those times. Fitz agreed. They had informed the staff who you could tell were excited that they would have Thanksgiving off with pay.

Olivia prepared the turkey and the Cornish hens and put them in the oven. She sat down to reflect on everything that took place recently.

**Flashback**

Jeff had come in and completed her office, the kid's room, and Marta's room. Most days she took Teddy down to her office with her. He loved the space that had been created for him.

It took a couple of days but they had finally named their dogs. Olivia named her dog Handsome. The name said it all. Karen had name her dog Lucky. The dogs had multiple beds throughout the residence and in her and Fitz's office. They were loved by not only their family but the White House staff.

Olivia had spoken with David. Right now their wedding would have 150-200 guests. Erin had sent her a portfolio of dresses that designers were offering out of their new collection that had not been shown yet. Olivia was close to making a decision. Abby was going to be Olivia's maid of honor. Quinn, Nicole, & Karen were her bridesmaids. Kimberly, Courtney, and were her junior bridesmaids. Cyrus was Fitz's best man. Huck, Harrison, were and Tom his groomsmen. Javier & Teddy were junior groomsmen.

Ella was their flower girl.

Her team spent a lot of time at the White House so they got to really know Fitz. They really liked him and they were thrilled that Olivia was really happy.

A week ago Olivia had her IUD removed so technically they were in baby making mode. Dr. Jackie had informed her that the average time to get pregnant was 4-6 months after removal, but it could always be sooner. Fitz was like a kid in a candy store that night. Literally Fitz almost fucked Olivia to death that night, and Olivia would not have cared because it would have been a happy death.

Their official coming out had been at the State Dinner honoring the President of France. Olivia worked with the Social Secretary once she was better and they got everything set up. The President of France arrived. Olivia was nervous because she was normally behind the scenes. Right before they showed up Olivia nerves were on edge. She did not want to mess this up for Fitz. The last thing they needed was the public thinking that she could not handle her responsibilities as First Lady.

Fitz pulled her aside and gave her a hug. When he embraced her he said,"_Show them who you are."_

Olivia stepped back and smiled. He was using her words against her, but it worked. The visit went well. She was well received. At the dinner that night she wore a Monique Lhuillier Embroided Lace Mermaid Gown. Fitz was over the moon to be able to dance with Olivia in public. He had the band to play "The Light" which was played when she got engaged. It was kind of their theme song now . It was a magical moment. Everyone could see their love for one another.

Abby had been polling her and as First Girlfriend she had a 75% approval rate. They all knew that it was due to she had not really done anything public so to poll this high was a sign for good things to come. They had decided that she would wait until they were married to go on any speaking engagements or conferences. She had spent time with Fitz, Abby, and Cyrus going on what her platform was going to be.

They had cases still coming in at OPA but not as many. Olivia expected that since she was no longer there full-time. Olivia made a decision that she would temporarily shut down her office until Fitz's term was over. They would have the calls forwarded to a line that Huck would handle. Huck would be the point of contact and Olivia would consult if necessary. Harrison & Quinn would help out where necessary. Harrison was going to be her Chief of Staff. Quinn was going to be the Communications Director. Huck was going to stay behind the scene. He was a valuable resource to Fitz. She also had him working on getting the foundation set up.

Olivia's dad and Fitz spent time with each other once a week. If they could not see each other they would talk on the phone. Olivia could tell that Fitz enjoyed having her dad support him. Big Gerry never told Fitz he was proud of him. People are wrong if they think that people can just move on from crappy childhoods. Fitz was a new man. He was confident. He owned who he was. He owned being President.

**Present Day**

Olivia decided that she would lay back down till 7:30. She knew that Teddy would be up by then. They would then get breakfast started.

When her alarm went off she got up and did her morning routine again. She went in Teddy's room. Sure enough he was up. He was laying in his bed watching cartoons.

Olivia went over to him, "_Morning buddy_"

Teddy sat up and went over to Olivia, _"Morning mom."_

They found out in the past couple of weeks that Teddy was really smart. Teddy was such a quiet child. He never said much. Olivia worried at times because he seemed so sad even when he was happy. He was now mastering the lessons that Olivia had him working on. Olivia had recently taken him for his physical and talked to the doctor about it. The doctor informed her that his growth was probably slowed down because he did not receive the interaction that he does with her now. It was always there, Olivia just allowed him to spread his wings which doesn't happen if the proper time and attention is not spent with the child in their early development stages.

Olivia gave him a hug, "_Sweetie go brush your teeth and wash your face so you can come help with breakfast."_

Teddy put on his slippers and went to do as he was told. He turned around, "_Mom, the parade?"_

Olivia nodded, "_Yes we will watch the Macy Thanksgiving day Parade_."

Olivia went back to the kitchen where she found Fitz up and fixing a cup of coffee. She went over to him and hugged him.

_"Good morning babe."_

_"Good morning sweet baby. Happy Thanksgiving."_

_"Happy Thanksgiving to you too_."

Fitz enjoyed these simple moments of just being able to hold her.

Fitz pulled away, "_I know that you have been in the kitchen the last 24 hours preparing for dinner so I will handle breakfast_."

Teddy came in the room, "_Morning daddy_."

Fitz leaned down and kissed his forehead, "_Morning buddy. You want to help dad with breakfast. I'll let you eat and watch the parade_."

Teddy ran over, "_Yes dad_."

They went in the kitchen to get things out to prepare breakfast. A few minutes later the girls came in the room.

Olivia smiled, "_Morning girls_."

Karen, "_Morning mom_."

Kimberly & Courtney, "_Morning Aunt Livvie."_

They had grown really close in the last couple of weeks. Nicole called Marta Ma. She had called her that when she was younger. Her aunt was her Ma and her mother was mom. Nicole was like Olivia's younger sister. The girls one day asked if they could call her Aunt Liv or Livvie. She was fine and that what she was and Fitz was Uncle Fitz. Olivia often found herself calling Marta Ma. The kids were now referring to her as Grammie.

They had all attended Karen's soccer tournament. Karen was excited to have her parents there to cheer her on. She had scored the winning goal that allowed her team to win. The whole family went nuts. Karen was over the moon. She had a birthday coming up. They had asked her what she wanted. She gave them so ideas but really she was just happy to be home with them this year. That was a gift in itself.

Karen asked Fitz, "_Dad do you want us to come help?"_

Fitz smiled, "_I could use the help of my daughter and nieces."_

The four of them created an assembly line and went to work. The result was waffles, pancakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and juice.

While they were working on breakfast Marta, Rowan, and Nicole joined them. The kids sat in the living room and watched the parade. The adults sat at the table. Once breakfast was done Fitz, Rowan, and the kids cleaned up the kitchen. They started the dishwasher. Once the kitchen was cleaned they moved out the way for the women to finish working on dinner.

Olivia went and got the ham ready to bake. They were having green beans, yams, corn, mac & cheese, chicken, and yeast rolls in addition to the turkey, ham, and Cornish hens for dinner.

Marta had baked sweet potato pies. Abby had made an apple pie, peach cobbler, carrot cake, apple cake, and a chocolate cake.

As the day went on everyone began to arrive. The girls went out and set the tables for dinner. Fitz helped Teddy to get ready. He and Rowan got ready so they could watch the food while the women got ready.

At four that afternoon they were all sitting down for dinner. Rowan said grace. Once he blessed the food Fitz stood up.

Fitz spoke, _"I am glad to be in the presence of my family. This has been my dream for so long. I get to enjoy a day of Thanksgiving with the ones I love. I hope that this is a first of many for us. I want us to all go around the table and say what we are thankful for. Why don't we start with the kids."_

**Teddy**: **_I am grateful for my dad, my sissy, Papa, Grammy Marta, Kim, Court, and all our family and friends. I'm happy I have a mom that loves me._**

_This was going to be emotional. Everyone was already in tears after what Teddy said._

**Ella**: _**I am glad that Daddy James and Cyrus adopted me. Aunt Liv & Uncle Fitz for supporting me.**_

**Kimberly**: _**I'm thankful for my mom and Grammy. I'm thankful for my sister. I am happy to have my new extended family that loves me. I'm grateful to Auntie Livvie and Uncle Fitz who love me enough to help us better ourselves. I am thankful that I'm loved.**_

**Courtney**:**_ I am happy that I have mom, Grammy, Kim, Aunt Liv, Uncle Fitz, Karen, and Teddy. I am happy that I get to go to school and learn lots of new things._**

**Karen**: _**I'm grateful to be alive. I'm happy that this year I am at home with my family. I miss my brother not being here physically but I know that he is here in spirit. I'm thankful that my dad finally did something that made him happy which in return allows us all to be happy. Mom I would not be half the young woman I am without you. I'm thankful that God allowed you to stay in our lives.**_

_Everyone was in tears. They took a moment to compose themselves**.**_

**Abby**:**_ I am thankful that I have a family that allows me to grow and_ offer me opportunities to be my best. I am thankful to have finally found unconditional love**.

**Harrison**:**_ I am thankful for the second chance I was given. It has been nothing but success. I love my family and the my best friend and love of my life._**

**James**:_** I am thankful that the President saw more than me being a gay man. Olivia & Fitz never looked at me other than a man with dreams. I am thankful that I have been able to see so many of them come true. I am grateful that I have my husband and daughter with me on this ride.**_

**Cyrus**: **_I am grateful for the opportunity to_ right some of my wrongs. There is not enough time to share them. I am grateful to be in a place I am with those who are most important to me**.

**Quinn**: _**I am grateful that I was saved. I am thankful someone thought I was worthy of a life. I have not always done right, but I am grateful to grow from my mistakes.**_

**Huck**: _**I am grateful that Liv saw me more than a homeless bum on the corner. Everything I am is because of her. I am grateful to have love and support and my son back in my life.**_

**Nicole**:_** I am grateful for the opportunity that was given to my children & I am happy to be close to Ma again. I am grateful that I am being given the opportunity to grow. I am thankful that I am loved and respected for who I am.**_

**Marta**: **_I am grateful that being a nanny allowed God to bless me with this family. I am grateful that Nicole, Kimberly, and Courtney are close to me again. I am also grateful for the opportunity to find love._**

**Rowan**: _**I am grateful that I got to live long enough to right some of my wrongs. I am happy to have the forgiveness of my daughter and son-in-law. I love my grandchildren. I am happy to spend time with Marta and be in the right mind to handle a relationship. My son-in-law and I have talked. We have been working on the mission of B-613 and are making some changes to the program. I am taking a step back and allowing others to learn the ropes so they can take over because I will retire when Fitz's term is over. I plan to reside in Vermont with my family. I don't want to put my family before anything ever again.**_

**Olivia**:**_ I am grateful to be alive. I am so happy about so many things it is hard to put in words. I am grateful to be with my family, my children, and the love of my life. Fitz is my other half. I am grateful that God has given me an opportunity to do good. I could never do it without the people at this table. I am grateful that I am finally getting married. I am glad that I made some good decisions to help others and it is coming back three fold._**

**Fitz**: **_I am thankful that God thought I did enough right_ to be with the love of my life. Despite my many mistakes we are soon to be married. I am thankful that I have my family. I am thankful for the time that I had with Gerry and that I have an opportunity to not let his death be in vain. All of you at this table mean so much to me. I never had a supportive family or parents. I say better late than never. You all are my greatest gifts. I want you to all be proud of me at the end of the day. Most of all I am thankful that I can look at my son and say that Liv & I are now officially his legal parents and I can look at my daughter and give her an early birthday gift by telling her that Olivia is officially her legal mother**.

The table gasped. Even Olivia was not aware that the paperwork had been filed and completed. It was an overwhelming and emotional moment. Karen & Olivia held each other like they were meeting for the first time. It was beyond special that they all got to witness the moment. Huck recorded it. They needed to be able to see this moment in the future.

Tom & Lauren were not with them today. They were spending Thanksgiving meeting each other's family.

Once everyone composed themselves dinner was served. They had a ball. None of them had close-knit families growing up. Today was special to them all for various reasons. After dinner the kids went to the game room to play. The adults headed to watch football. Olivia & Quinn loved football so they were as into it as much as the men. Abby was not as familiar with the sport but she enjoyed watching it with everyone.

At half time they fixed themselves desert. Ella & Courtney were close in age which was good for the both of them. They got along great.

When the second game ended everyone began to pack up to leave. Olivia had purchased Tupperware containers so that they could take food home with them.

It was decided that the kids were going to stay. They had some movies delivered for them to watch this weekend. Rowan was staying at the weekend to spend time with Marta and the kids.

Ella & Courtney were going to sleep in the girl's room. Kimberly was going to sleep in Karen's room, and Teddy of course would go in his room.

Once everyone had their baths and were in night-clothes Fitz & Olivia made them popcorn. She brought down juice drinks and put in Penguins of Madagascar.

Olivia was feeling the effects of the last 24 hours. Rowan told them they could head up to bed and relax. They would handle the children.

They agreed and kiss the kids good night and headed to their room. Fitz went and made a bath. He knew Olivia was tired and maybe a little achy.

Fitz called Olivia. She came in and found a candlelight bath waiting for her.

Olivia smiled, "_You always know what I need_."

Fitz laughed, "_Most of the time_."

Fitz helped her out of her clothes. Once he was undressed he got them both comfortable in the tub.

Olivia sighed, "_This is nice."_

"_It is_"

"_Being a parent is harder than fixing a crisis_."

Fitz laughed, "_You think so?"_

"_I do, but it is also more rewarding."_

"_True, can you imagine when we add to the clan?"_

"_Yes and no. With Handsome and Lucky it is never a dull moment."_

_"Just like we like it_."

Olivia turned around and climbed in his lap, _"I am officially a mother. I have handled some of the biggest names in the world. I helped you become President, yet none of it compares to know those kids are mine."_

Fitz looked up, _"I'm glad that you are happy_."

Olivia whispered, "_Let me show you how happy_."

Olivia slid down on Fitz's cock catching him off guard. He always loved making love to Olivia but now it was even more exciting since they were officially on baby making duty. They had agreed not to worry about it. Continue to do what they always did and it would result in a baby at some point.

Olivia rode Fitz nice and slow. They had time. No more stolen moment.

Olivia moaned, "_I'm close I'm so close. You feel so good baby_."

"_Livvie, baby it feel good. Shit Make me cum_."

Olivia began to ride Fitz harder and she added some hip action that threw Fitz over with her.

She felt him emptying in her. She was excited with the thought that hopefully she would be able to make his other wish come true and that was for her to have his child someday soon.

Fitz whispered in her ear, "_I think we need to work on knocking you up tonight_."

Olivia laughed, _"Really. Well I worked all day today so I don't know how useful I'll be."_

Fitz smiled, _"I'll put in most of the work."_

Olivia whispered, "_Well let's get to work_.

Fit got them out the tub and dried off. He lotioned them both. They climbed in bed and made love till the wee hours of the morning.

A**/N-So I hope that you have enjoyed the three chapter Thanksgiving update. The next couple of chapters are going to be huge. She is headed to New York to meet with Kerry. She will be finalizing the plans for her wedding. She is also getting Karen's birthday party together. When do you think that she will get pregnant? No one has guessed where they are getting married yet? There is still some time to give your comments...**


	22. Emotional Changes

**A/N-Thank you so much for the reviews. They mean so much to me. I started this story for several reasons. One is that I had a tumor that caused me to lose a limb. There have been some issues since then and I needed an outlet. Another reason is that I have been disappointed with the show thus far. I have my issues with Jake because it is so forced, but the biggest issue is that I hate that Olivia has become this woman who left and came back with no regard for a man that she loves. His suicide attempt was glossed over. Yes, Fitz is married but his loyalty and heart have always been with Olivia. I can no longer say the same for her. Finally, I really love to write. This chapter is special to me. It is emotional and I had to dig deep and think from several different angles. I want to create Olivia in a new light. Let me know what you think. I would love to be at 100 reviews before I began to write their Christmas vacation, wedding, and honeymoon. Spread the word...**

Olivia woke up the day after Thanksgiving feeling like a different person. She woke up that yesterday morning grateful that she was alive. She was excited about spending the day with family and friends. She was with her soon to be husband and her children although not legally yet but still hers. She went to bed last night overwhelmed with the amount of love and joy that was in her life, and that she was legally now a mother. No one could take her children from her.

Hands down the best thing about living with Fitz was starting her day next to him. It was not everyday but most and that was enough for her. It had become a habit that they started out their day having sex/making love whatever you want to call it. All she knew is that it was good and she would never tire of it. She remembered years back when she was in college Abby use to say that morning sex was the best. Her sex life was to be desired at that time. Edison, well I have no words, but now that she was with Fitz she knew Abby was right. The best way to start her day.

Olivia & Fitz were spooning each other which was the way they ended up each night. She began grinding on Fitz's cock. Sex was always good, but it was even better with an objective in mind. Fitz felt Olivia grinding on him. He could only smile. Life was good.

Fitz without opening his eyes lifted her leg and slid in her from behind. Olivia hissed. She was caught off guard for a moment. Fitz held her hip and slide in and out of her at a steady pace.

Fitz, _"Is it good Livvie?"_

"_So good Fitz so good. Don't stop."_

"_Don't worry I won't."_

Olivia was thinking that it was times like now where Fitz drove her wild. He was making love to her slow and steady. He knew her body better than she did at this point.

Fitz, _"I got you Livvie. This is my pussy. I know what you need."_

Fitz picked up the pace a little. Olivia turned her head and looked at him. God they were so in love.

Olivia was meeting Fitz thrust for thrust.

"_Fitz, I'm about to cum."_

_"Let go Livvie. I got you. Let go."_

Fitz thrust were now harder and deeper. A couple of thrust later Olivia's orgasm took over. Fitz keep going drawing her orgasm out.

Olivia couldn't think. Fitz kept going hard and deep. Another orgasm came over Olivia. This time Fitz came with her emptying himself in her.

It took them a minute to catch their breaths.

Fitz was the first one to compose himself. He reached over and pulled Olivia into his chest, _"Good morning sweet baby!"_

Olivia smiled, _"Morning baby"_

They laid there holding each other. They both enjoyed these quiet moments. They led such busy lives so when there was peace and calm they took advantage of it.

Fitz could tell this morning that Olivia had something on her mind. He was back and forth on whether to ask and decided to bite the bullet, _"Livvie what's on your mind?"_

Olivia sat up and so did Fitz. She climbed in his lap and hugged him. Fitz held her. He allowed her to get her thoughts together.

Olivia finally spoke, _"I want to be a good mom. I want us to be good parents. For some reason the knowledge that Karen & Teddy are mine legally changes things. I've always loved them and protected them, but now their mine. I can't explain it but I feel different and I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing."_

Fitz understood but he wanted Olivia to understand so he decided to discuss this without giving his opinion yet, _"Why can you not decide if it is a good thing or a bad thing?"_

"_Well because I shouldn't feel any different because they are mine legally, and the fact that I do upsets me?"_

"_Okay, let me ask you this. You love Ella, Kimberly, and Courtney as if they are your own right?"_

"_Yes and your point..."_

_"Up until you got those papers you felt the same way about Teddy and Karen right?"_

_"Yes, but when I told you that they were yours it changed didn't it?"_

Olivia got quiet, but finally answered, "_Yes but why?"_

Fitz looked her in the eye, "_Honey because they are now yours. You love people. You especially love kids which is why I think you were always close to mine, but I can tell you that when Gerry was born it changes you when you are the parent of the child. You are now legally responsible for those kids. You are responsible for their well-being. You are responsible for their happiness. You are responsible for keeping them safe. That is why you feel different. It's not because you love them any less. It is because now you know that you are mom in more than title only. It is because when you woke up this morning instead of thinking about you or me your first thought was about the children. Am I right?"_

Olivia looked up at Fitz shocked, _"How did you know?"_

"_It's called being a parent. Real parents put their kids before themselves_."

"_Fitz, I need us to be good parents to Karen, Teddy, and our kids. I want our careers to continue to flourish but at the end of the day I need us to be better parents than ours were. I am thankful that I have my dad again. I'll never make him feel guilty for his past actions, but I don't want Karen to ever question us. I want Teddy to know us and we know them. We have to make time for our kids or what we do in this administration means nothing."_

_"Livvie, I agree with you. I should have noticed the crap that Mellie was doing. I should have noticed more. I should have opened my eyes. Being with you Livvie is the best decision I ever made. I know that neither of us are happy with how we started, but I'll never regret my decision to fight for us. The kids are my everything. I want to do better so they can go out there and make their mark on the world. I don't care how as long as it is legal and they are happy. Abby called Jeff for me and he is going to set up space for Teddy in my office. I also told him that when we have our baby we need a set up in both of our offices. I want to be a hands on parent from now on. Time will be a little hard while I'm President but once that is over I only want to work around my family instead of them around me."_

_"Fitz, I know that you may not want to hear this but can you hear me out as I say this to you."_

Fitz was nervous but he enjoyed that they had open communication. He never again wanted Olivia to feel like they could not talk about anything.

_"Sure Livvie I am all ears."_

_"Thank you Fitz. I just want to tell you that I am sorry for the pain that I caused you. I know that ultimately it was you that had to end your marriage. I accept the part I played in keeping you married for longer than you wanted. I know that you held on to your marriage at times because it was what I wanted. At times I look at Teddy and feel guilty, but now I am just thankful he is here and we can raise him. I am thankful that you fought for us even when I didn't. I'm sorry for any pain that I caused you especially by being with Jake. I was so hurt about our relationship that being with him knowing how much it pained you meant nothing to me at the time. I need you to know that I am in this relationship with you. I want you. It is no longer just your dream but our dream to be married, rule the world, and raise a family."_

Fit did not realize it but he had started crying. They never did heart to heart conversations. They had always made Olivia uncomfortable, but listening to her made him realize they just were not the same people anymore.

Olivia noticed that Fitz was crying which made her cry.

"_Oh God Fitz I am so sorry."_

_"No Liv, please don't be sorry for being open with me. I was just listening to you and I think back over the years how we never just sat down and talked things out. One of us would always walk away. I have loved you from the moment I seen you in that gym, but I love who we are today especially you. It's not so much for my benefit because I do love you even more today, but I'm happy that you are happy with yourself. Olivia Pope the crisis manager has no kinks. Olivia Pope the person couldn't stand herself. I'm glad that there is just one Olivia Pope and she is happy inside and out. You have always been enough for me. I'm sorry if I ever made you think otherwise. I'm sorry that I did not man up sooner. I'm sorry that bringing Jake in your life caused you pain. It hurt to see you with him. I would have let you go and accepted you being with him if I knew he truly wanted you, but I know Jake. It was always about me. I'm just happy that we are here. It is all that matters to me."_

Fitz & Olivia felt free after their talk. This was new to Olivia being this open in a relationship. It was still hard at times, but not being with Fitz was no longer an option. She was not going to mess it up.

They got up and did their morning routine and took a shower. They put on some lounge clothes and ended back in the bed watching TV.

Olivia looked up at Fitz,_ "I know that it will be hard while we are President and First Lady but can we try to keep the weekend open for the kids. Breakfast on the weekend. Try and do things they want to do."_

Fitz kissed her forehead, _"Livvie that is fine with me. I'll let Lauren know and you let Nicole know that unless we have a conference that has to include a weekend that Friday after six we belong to the kids until Monday morning. I want to attend more of their events. It is easier when they are at school because the school has a lot of political children there. In a year or two Teddy may want to play sports and I don't want to hold him back."_

"_Fitz, I talk to the doctor when he had his physical recently. I was amazed that he had started to pick up things so quickly. The doctor thinks that the family situation stunted his growth or his ability to feel he could spread his wings. I think we will see him open up more now that I think he feel stable again_."

Fitz smiled, "_I know he will. He has a great mom. He enjoys the balance of learning and playing. I get this feeling he is really going to enjoy school. He was showing me the lessons you guys work on. I told him I was proud of him. He was so happy."_

Olivia nodded, "_Good I want them happy_."

They heard a knock on their door. Fitz told them to come in. Karen & Teddy walked in the room.

Fitz smiled, "_Hi guys what are you up to this morning?"_

Karen looked nervous. They could tell.

Fitz told them to come and get on the bed with them. Once they were on the bed Fitz asked again, _"What's up?"_

Karen with her head down and holding Teddy's hand said, "_Teddy came in my room this morning. We hung out and watched Doc McStuffins together. I got to be big sister. He then asked to see mom and dad so we are here because we both wanted to spend time with you mom and dad?_"

Olivia asked Karen to look at her, "_Why are you scared to ask about spending time with us?"_

"_Mom and dad I know with your jobs you are super busy. On top of that you are trying to plan your wedding. I don't want to be a burden."_

Olivia shook her head. These were the times that she really hated Mellie. She was about to speak but Fitz beat her to it.

"_Karen I am sorry that I made you feel that way. Your mother can't take all the blame on this one. However the dynamics of this family will be different. Time will be harder will I am in office, but it will never again be more important that our family. Your mom and I have talked and we plan to devote most of the weekend to you guys when we can. I will personally make sure there is never a weekend where the both of us have to be away."_

Karen nodded.

Olivia tipped Karen's chin up so they were looking at each other, _"I'm you guys mom now. You are my life along with your dad. You are important. The things you want to do are important. While we may not be able to make it to everything trust that we will attend all major events in both of your lives."_

Karen understood, "_Can I ask you guys a personal question?"_

Olivia & Fitz nodded that she could.

Karen asked, _"Do you plan on having more kids?"_

Olivia was nervous that Karen was asking, "_Do you want us too?"_

Teddy nodded, "_I want to be big brother."_

They all laughed.

Karen smiled, _"Well I am big sister already but I would like siblings that come from you. I never got to experience the joy and pain of being a big sister. Gerry had all kinds of stories about me being a baby and a toddler. It would be nice to have that I think_."

Olivia smiled, _"Good because we plan on growing our family. I need to make it clear that me having a child biologically does not change how I feel about you."_

Karen nodded, _"I know mom. You did not have to deal with Gerry and I after dad got in the White House. I'm not expecting you to treat me like the evil step child. I get the feeling it would just make all four of us happier."_

Fitz smiled, "_I agree honey."_

Fitz looked over at Teddy, _"Buddy you want to go get dressed and we go and hang out and bowl just the two of us."_

You could tell that Teddy was thrilled. Fitz needed to bond more with Teddy. He had been used as a pawn for too long.

Olivia smiled. It was a great idea for them to bond with the children individually. Teddy needed his dad and Karen needed Liv. They could do something together later or even tomorrow.

Olivia looked over to Karen, "_How about we have a mother-daughter manicure and pedicure day just us girls?"_

Karen jumped up, _"Really?"_

Olivia smiled, "_Really since Teddy and I fly to New York on Sunday we can hang out together today and tonight we'll do something as a family."_

Everyone was happy. Before leaving the room to get dressed he looked at Karen.

"Karen, Papa has that box that you requested. You need to get it from here before you and your mom start your day."

Karen nodded, "_Thanks dad I appreciate it. Love you."_

"_Love you to ladybug."_

Everyone went to get ready. They had been so wrapped up in the kids that they forgot about the other kids who stayed last night.

Olivia went in the family room where she found her dad and Marta watching television.

"_Ma, where are the other kids?_

Marta looked up, _"The kids came to us this morning wanting to spend time with you guys so we made sure they got back to their parents."_

Olivia smiled,_ "Thanks ma and dad."_

Rowan smiled, _"No problem. Oh I called a friend of mine whose daughter owns a hair salon and spa. It closes at noon on Saturday but she and her team are staying to allow you and Karen to get pampered together."_

Olivia smiled, "_Thanks dad. I'll have Tom to take us."_

Olivia went and checked on Teddy to make sure he was getting ready.

"_Teddy it's mom. I just wanted to make sure you are okay."_

Teddy opened the bathroom door still in his pajamas.

"_Teddy why are you not getting dressed?"_

Initially Teddy did not say anything. Olivia went over to him and pulled him over to the bed. When she looked over at Teddy he was now crying.

_"Buddy what's wrong. Remember what I told you?"_

Teddy nodded

_"What did mommy tell you?"_

_"Talk to you always."_

_"Yes, so what's wrong?"_

_"Want to play with dad but other mom said him playing with me hurts other people."_

Olivia was stunned. It all made sense now why Teddy said very little. Why it felt like he wanted to never be noticed. Olivia pulled Teddy on her lap.

"_Teddy, I'm sorry that your other mom said that. She is not coming back. It is just us now. As your mommy I'm telling you that spending time with you doesn't hurt others it helps others."_

Teddy looked up, _"How?"_

Olivia smiled,_ "Because it makes mommy and daddy happy when we spend time with our kids. It makes it easier for us to help others so daddy really needs to spend time with his son today and later Karen and I want to hang out with you and daddy later okay."_

Teddy hugged Olivia, _"Okay mom. Luv you."_

_"I love you too. Do you need any help getting ready?"_

Teddy shook his head. Olivia left him to get dressed.

Olivia went to her room to get dressed. She walked in the room and she saw Fitz on the sofa with his head down. When she closed the door he looked up. He was crying. He was distraught.

Olivia went over to him. She sat down and put his head in her lap. She had no idea what had happened in the short amount of time that she was gone. She was about to ask him when he whispered something that she almost didn't catch but she had and it broke her heart.

"_Its my fault that Teddy is the way he is. He was trying to be invisible because Mellie convinced him that spending time with me was bad. I'm a horrible man and a terrible father. Why would you ever want me to be the father of your children?"_

As Olivia was about to speak someone else spoke instead.

_"She wants you to be the father to her children because you are love of her life. You saved her from herself and from many others including myself. She wants you because she knows that people make mistakes. Your biggest mistake was trusting the wrong people. The beauty in life is that we are given time to either correct our ways or continue to make the same mistakes. Your love for Olivia helped you to make better choices. Teddy is young. He doesn't look at you as a bad parent just one who has not been around as much. The two of you have worked hard at opening him up and he has and will continue to do so with your support. You were never a horrible father like me. I ruined my daughter all for the sake of control. I could have spent that time helping her to grow, but I tore her down. She almost had nothing and it was because of me. It happens in life where people tear others down. Can you imagine that Olivia had to know that it was her own dad. You are good and wholesome Fitz. Instead of beating yourself up build yourself up. Continue to nurture the relationship with your children. They both love you I promise, and know that with your future children you will be blessed to make different and better choices_."

Olivia looked up at Rowan with tears in her eyes.

"_Daddy I agree with what you just said to Fitz. I'll never lie and say that the things you did were not painful. They were. I needed and wanted you, but then power and control were more important."_

Rowan was now in crying. Olivia stood up and walked over to him. Fitz was behind her.

Olivia continued, _"The beauty of life is that you can forgive people and move on. When I was on that plane and you stepped on my side I forgave you. Dr. Sherry helped me to sort out the pain of your decisions and let it go. Do I wish I had you all those years? Yes, of course but life saw otherwise. I am now at a place where I get that life is too short. It does me no good to make you feel bad about your choices. You do a good job of that, but dad I need you to let it go. I'm happy you are in my life. I want you here. I want you to walk me down the aisle. I want you to spend time with us as a family. I want you to be happy with Marta. Get your own piece of normal. Be Papa and spoil the kids and let them do things we never would. I am happy you are here. We all learned from our mistakes and are being better people because of it."_

Fitz spoke up, _"I agree with Livvie. You busted my balls on more than one occasion. I can admit it was not always fun, but I always respected the fact that deep down I knew that you loved Olivia. At this point in my life to have surrogate parents means everything. Every child no matter the age wants a parent to be proud of them. My dad never was proud of me. Nothing I did was ever god enough. Knowing that you are proud of me, that you support me, and love me and my kids is more than I could ask for. So I need you to let it go and move on with us as a family. I need you dad to continue to teach me and mold me to continue to be better for your daughter and our kids."_

They went over and hugged Rowan. Marta was at the door and nodded. She knew that Rowan needed to hear that they really forgave him. When they were in Vermont he told her everything that he had done. Marta was shocked but she never looked down on him. She only told him to do better and be better. It was one of the reasons that Rowan stated to fall for her. He told her the truth and she didn't turn her back. You could tell that at this moment a cloud had been lifted.

Everyone went to get ready. Thirty minutes later Karen & Olivia were out the door with Tom & Jason. Since Fitz & Teddy were staying at the White House Fitz stated their SSA could keep an eye on them.

Olivia and Karen arrived at the salon. Once Tom & Jason did a walk through they came out and got them. They went in and met Carol and her team. Originally they were only going to get a manicure and pedicure but both decided to get their hair done as well. Karen wanted to trim her ends. She really wanted to cut it but Olivia convinced her to trim it until she talked to Fitz. Olivia's hair had grown a lot since the shooting. It was now almost to her shoulders. She decided to go with Carol's suggestion and added brown highlights and have it straightened out.

Tom and went to the deli across the street and got them lunch since they had added getting their hair done.

Olivia thanked Tom. Tom had become a part of their family along with Lauren. They went above the call of duty for them. Before Tom headed out he handed something to Karen who thanked Tom.

Olivia had asked Tom if he would get Carol and her team lunch since it was suppose to be a half day for them and they were kind enough to stay. Tom got their orders and they had went to their break room to eat leaving Karen & Olivia alone in one of the rooms.

Olivia felt like Karen wanted to say something so she started out, _"Is everything okay Karen?"_

Karen looked up, _"Mom it is more than okay. I was just thinking that I am almost 13 and I have never had a mother-daughter day with Mellie."_

Olivia sighed, "_Does that bother you?"_

Karen shook her head, "_It use to. When I was in boarding school it hurt to see parents spent time with their children or the kids going home to visit, but then I realized who my mother was and I was grateful to be away from her."_

_"Karen, you don't have to be mad at Mellie. I understand she is my biological mother."_

Karen jumped up, "_No, No you don't get to do that."_

Olivia was alarmed. Tom poked his head in and she shook her head.

"_Karen talk to me."_

_"You don't get to defend Mellie. You don't get to say that I can not be mad at her. She made her choice. She could have been my mom, but she wanted power and fame and a title more than she wanted to be a wife and mother. I am not mad at Mellie. I am angry. She almost ruined us. Gerry died. It should have been her. Good people always die, yet she still gets three square meals a day. She broke us Mom. You, me, dad, Gerry, and even Teddy. Marta lost time with her family. She almost killed the only woman who ever loved us for us. You know why we were never mad that you and dad had an affair?"_

Olivia was scared to look up. I mean she knew by now that Karen knew they had one, but it still bothered her for some reason.

_"Mom, it never mattered to us because we knew that you loved each other. We knew this was never some tawdry affair. When dad was with you or near you he was someone who we never seen. He was himself. Unlike with mom where he had to practice and talk to himself to follow the act. With you from day one he was enough. Most people take that for granted but not us because the Grants were not normal people. Mom, Big Gerry, even Cyrus were always preaching that crap. You come in and say be you. We hang around you and we are ourselves and you love it. You don't get to make concessions for Mellie. She chose the hand she played and now she will accept the consequences of her decisions. I was never her daughter other than by DNA. I have a mom. Her name is Olivia Carolyn Pope soon to be Grant and that will never change. I love you but we will do nothing but make sure that Mellie pays for what she has done_."

Karen was overwhelmed with emotion after her speech. She sat down of the loveseat and cried. Olivia just held her. Those emotions had been there for some time. Olivia had to respect her feelings. Olivia was afraid to speak, but she needed to let Karen know where she stood.

"_Karen, I want you to listen to me. I will never discount your feelings. As your mom my only priority is my kids. You, Teddy, and whatever other kids we have. If you tell me that you are okay and that you are done with Mellie then I am fine with that. I just need to make sure that you are not doing it because of the things that she has done to your dad and I."_

_"Mom, she did those things to us. This is a woman who was given more than twenty million dollars. Dad gave her a house. Down the road I know that you and dad would have never said anything unkind about her in public. I bet dad would have even endorsed her running for office just for us. None of that was good enough because we were all happy with you. Instead of moving on she acted like a baby and pouted, and came close to ruining so many lives by kidnapping me and shooting you. The only reason I don't hate her is because you told me that it would not hurt her in the long run but me. I forgive her, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't suffer and lose her life for what she's done_.

Olivia nodded, "_Okay honey I understand."_

Karen got up and went and got the bag Tom handed to her.

"_You are my mom. I am your daughter. We are stuck with each other, and I am okay with that. Papa helped me get these items when you were in Puerto Rico. I wanted to give them to you when you officially became my mom. They are not the most expensive pieces ever but I hope they mean something to you_."

Olivia opened the box and gasped. Olivia sobbed. It was too much and not enough. Karen went over and they held each other. Inside the box were mother/daughter heart necklaces with diamond sterling silver.

Olivia just rubbed her hand over the necklace. Other than her engagement ring it was the most precious thing that she had ever been given. They put the necklaces on each other.

Olivia composed herself, _"I can never express how much I love you. I promise to always protect and love you with everything I am."_

Karen nodded, "_I know mom_."

They cleaned their faces and went back out for Carol and her team to do their manicure and pedicure. Once they were finished they made their way back home.

The boys were still outside. They head Teddy laughing. They smiled. Neither of them had heard Teddy so happy.

They went around and found them rolling in the grass. Teddy seen Olivia and Karen. He jumped up and gave both a hug.

"Mommy I beat daddy. I hit a home run on daddy and he was mad."

Olivia laughed, "_Good job buddy. I'm proud of you."_

Teddy laughed, _"Mommy that's what daddy said and he said I can come to work and be like him next week."_

Olivia smiled, _"I think that is good. We are going to have to get you some proper clothes when we are in New York."_

Teddy was excited and nodded his head up and down.

Fitz went over and kissed Olivia and hugged Karen. "_What are we getting into tonight?"_

Karen said, "_How about bowling, a movie, and Chinese?"_

Everyone agreed.

Fitz looked at Teddy, "_Buddy let's go get cleaned up so we can hang out with your mom and sister."_

Teddy grabbed his dad hand. They went in for Fitz and Teddy to clean up. Fitz told Olivia he had Teddy and she could relax.

Olivia was looking at her email and received her schedule for her trip to New York. She then received an email from David asking if she could meet him in New York that following weekend to go over wedding details.

Fitz and Teddy came out so she told Fitz about meeting David next weekend in New York. She would take the kids with her because she needed to see Karen in dresses and she wanted her opinion on some things. Fitz told her that was fine. Olivia emailed David to confirm and emailed Nicole about the trip. She informed Nicole of the trip to make sure that she and the kids did not have any plans and they would make plans while in New York to return again on Friday after leaving on Tuesday.

The family spent the evening together and had a blast. They laughed. The kids picked on Fitz. They took selfies and posted them onto their accounts. They ate their dinner and went and took their baths and got dressed in matching pajamas that Olivia had bought for fun months ago. Olivia loved cartoons & kids movies which made the kids happy. They were not sure what they were watching tonight. Fitz had gotten a movie delivered that was going to make everyone happy. Olivia came in with the popcorn. They all got comfortable. The credits played and they realized they were about to watch Annie. Olivia loved the original Annie. She had recently showed it to Karen who enjoyed it. They both loved Jamie Foxx. Teddy loved music so anything with songs was a plus. They watched the movie and although they agreed it was not better than the original it was a great remake.

Olivia & Fitz put Teddy to bed. Olivia would normally have him read a couple of pages and then she take over. Tonight she could tell he was worn out. They had not gotten to the second page before Teddy was sleep. They cut his night-light on and closed the door.

They went by Karen's room. Normally she would be reading a book, on her I-pad, or on the phone. However when they opened the door she was out. She had not even covered up. Olivia & Fitz went over and got her under the covers and left the room.

They got to their room and did their nightly routine and climbed in the bed. Once they were comfortable they realized they were tired to.

They turned on the TV and watched the news. It was their routine. As the news was ending Fitz asked her about her day.

Olivia turned to him, "_It was great and emotional all in one."_

Fitz was curious.

"_Well great because you look really good and refreshed. I like the highlights. They compliment your skin."_

Olivia smiled, "_I didn't realize you saw them_."

"_Livvie I always see you. You are beautiful always but I like when you change it up and step out of your comfort zone. Changing your hair is big for you."_

_"It is. Karen wanted to cut her hair but I told her I needed to talk with you first."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you are her dad."_

_"Yep and you are her mom so I would think that is more up your ally."_

Olivia had not thought about it like that.

"_Livvie she is your daughter. Not for play but for real. Legally she is yours. I am happy that you thought of me and for big life decisions like car, college, money sure I think we should discuss those things together. However if you think it is okay for your daughter to get a haircut then do it. If I did not trust you I would have not made sure you had legal rights."_

Olivia nodded, _"I'm getting there. I think after Karen blasted me and listening to you I am there_."

Fitz sat up, "_What do you mean?"_

Olivia patted his chest to calm him. _"When we were at the salon we stopped to eat lunch. I asked her if she was okay and I told her that she did not have to be mad at Mellie because of what she did to us."_

Fitz nodded, _"I agree."_

"_Well Karen was angry. Not at us, but at Mellie. If we hadn't talk to her about not hating people and forgiving people for ourselves she would hate Mellie. I guess the best way to tell you is that she knows Mellie tactics as well as we do. She is mad that Mellie almost ruined your chance at happiness and their chance. She is mad that she almost killed me. Her words to me were, I do not get to feel sorry for Mellie. I do not get that right. She fell apart Fitz. Our baby fell about. Twelve years of pain she has kept to herself. Before you worry she is not upset with you or me. She told me that she was not mad at us for having an affair because I allowed you all to be you. It is why the kids were never mad at me."_

Olivia started crying. She climbed in Fitz's lap. She needed to be close to him.

Olivia melted in to him,_ "She then presented me with this necklace. She has one too. The heart is smaller. They are mother/daughter necklaces. Dad helped her get them. She wanted to give it to me when I officially became her mom._

Fitz held her, "_Livvie we may not have always got it right or done the right thing for us. However I believe that when it came to the kids we almost always got it right. Spending time with Teddy was great. It reminded me of when Gerry was a toddler before my political career started. He was just so happy to be with me. When he won and I told him he could have whatever he wanted he told me he wanted to work with me and look like me. Having family time tonight was priceless. I never got to do that with Mellie. You can't do those kind of these with a hair being out-of-place. We aren't perfect parents but we are doing well. We will continue to get better_."

Olivia nodded, _"I agree. I'll make sure to get Teddy some suits while we are in New York. We leave tomorrow afternoon."_

Fitz pulled the covers over them. _"Well let's get some sleep so Karen and I can hang with you before it is time for you to leave._

Olivia didn't say anything. Fitz leaned down and noticed she was sleep. Today had been an emotional day for them all. However Fitz would not change it because it allowed them to continue to move forward and let the past go. Maybe now it would be easier for them to plan their future.

**A/N-Thank you for your reviews. I can not respond to the guest reviews but I read them. To the guest who had the questions about Jake and Mellie's case I had no problem answering your question. You took the time to read my work so I can take the time to respond to your question. I thank the other guest reviews that I could not respond to. On my profile page added the necklace that Karen bought for Olivia. Next up is the New York trips. There are two. The first one is for her to meet up with Kerry. Any guesses why? They will come back for her to head back on Friday but this time Karen will come since it is a weekend. It will be your first glimpse into their wedding. Still no guesses where they are getting married. To the guest who said they though Disney but said no. You are right it is not Disney. Please keep guesses coming. I still have time to keep my idea or use yours...**


	23. Trip to the Big Apple

**A/N-I am back. I wanted to think about how I planned to continue the story. The plan is this chapter will center around her first trip to New York. Then the next chapter will be the trip to New York to discuss the wedding. The next chapter will focus on Karen's birthday. I may or may not do one chapter before they leave the White House for Christmas and their New Year's wedding and honeymoon. I will write multiple chapters about their first Christmas together, details surrounding the wedding, the wedding, and honeymoon. Please continue to write your reviews. I would like to have at least 100 before they head on their journey...**

Olivia was having an amazing dream. Fitz was kissing her all over. He always made her feel beautiful. The dream just kept getting better as he headed south. God this man and his superpowers. Olivia opened her legs and welcomed him to what he does best.

One finger, then two. Man what a dream. It doesn't get any better than this, but it did because that first long lick to her clit was heaven on earth.

God this man was eating me like I was his last meal. It felt so good. It felt so real. Olivia opened her eyes. She sat up and faced those stormy grey eyes. She couldn't speak. Fitz had total control of her body.

Olivia opened her mouth to say something, but nothing. Her orgasm started from her toes and took over. She arched her back as she watched Fitz not miss a drop. All women should experience this, but Fitz was all hers.

Fitz climbed up her body and kissed her. She could taste herself. She never would have thought that this would arouse her as much as it did.

Fitz was on a mission this morning. Olivia would be leaving in a couple of hours and she would not be back until Tuesday. He missed her already.

Fitz turned Olivia around and now she was on all four. Her ass was in the air. She was shaking it to turn him on and it did.

Fitz leaned over and started kissing Olivia. She was so caught up making out with him that when he entered her with one thrust it caught her off guard.

Olivia put her head down, "_Oh God."_

Fitz was a mad man this morning. He pounded Olivia like their was no tomorrow. He wanted to imprint himself in her.

Olivia couldn't keep up. She just let him do his thing. Olivia realized that Fitz was making love to her like he wouldn't get to do it again.

Olivia leaned up and they were now chest to chest. She leaned her head back and Fitz was kissing her neck.

Olivia whispered,_ "I'm coming back baby. Just remember I'm coming back."_

Fitz slowed down. Olivia met him thrust for thrust.

God no man ever made her feel this good.

_"Oh Fitz you feel so good. Don't stop. Don't stop"_

Fitz was so caught up in his emotions that he couldn't say anything.

Olivia could only moan.

_"Fitz, Fitz, Oh God_"

Fitz began to thrust harder and deeper.

Fitz entwined his fingers with Olivia. He continued to thrust into Olivia. They just stared into each other eyes until their orgasms took over.

Olivia had never been made love to like this.

Olivia's brain was mush. Fitz picked her up off the bed and took her to the bathroom. He sat her down and turned on the shower.

Fitz picked her up and walked them into the shower. At first he looked at her. He just studied her like she was a project.

He sat down on the bench with her. He looked her in the eye as he picked her up and slid her down onto his cock.

If Olivia thought their love-making in their bed was intense then she had no words to describe this.

The steam from the water was no where as intense as the steam from their love-making. No words were spoken. They stared at each other as Olivia rode his cock slow and deep. Their hands were joined.

It was in that moment that both understood the love they really had for each other. Their lives had come full circle.

This was no selfish love making. They took care of each other and again reached their peak at the same time.

Fitz washed Olivia from head to toe including her hair. He treated her like a new-born baby. Olivia did the same to Fitz.

When they were done Fitz carried Olivia out of the shower. He wrapped them up in a towel. He grabbed Olivia's lotion and lotioned her entire body. The intimacy almost brought Olivia to tears.

Fitz got up and got them some lounge clothes. They dressed and laid in the bed. Olivia was unsure of what to say. She didn't want to mess this moment up.

Olivia looked up at Fitz and kissed him. She smiled at Fitz. In a little over a month this man would finally be her husband.

Olivia finally got the courage to say something, "_Are you okay honey_?"

Fitz smiled, _"I'm good. By the way Good Morning_."

Olivia laughed, "_Yeah it was a good morning, but Good Morning to you to baby_."

Olivia put her head on his chest. They breathed in sync. It couldn't get better than this. She knew Fitz needed to say something so she gave him time.

Fitz finally spoke, _"I know you are coming back. I don't want to seem clingy. We have spent longer periods of time apart. You are about to make steps for your platform when you become first lady. Then in a couple of days you head back to make decisions about our wedding. It feels surreal. I'm scared Livvie. This has always been what I wanted, but it's not about me anymore. I love you. I am in love with you. I need you to be okay. So tell me what you want and I'll do it. I'll even wait to marry you. I know that you have reservations about being First Lady_."

Olivia was shocked. This was the last thing she expected Fitz to say. It also showed her that they were different people now. They no longer were shallow and concerned only about themselves and their careers. It was about them and their family.

Olivia sat up and looked at Fitz. She needed him to hear what she was about to say. When Fitz looked her in the eye she spoke.

"_Fitz, the old Olivia Pope wanted to be the most bad ass crisis manager in the country. I wanted to conquer the world. I wanted to be twice as good as anyone else. For the most part I achieved that goal. You know what I didn't bank on. Being lonely. I had no one. Abby has been my only friend and there are still things I never told her. You changed everything for me including what I want. Yes years ago I had no interest in being a First Lady, getting married and having a baby were not on my radar. Yes, I am scared to be First Lady. I still prefer to be behind the scene, but when you love someone you make sacrifices. Doing this job for three years will not hurt me. As far as the wedding is concerned I want it. I want the pictures and the day with our family and friends to look back on_."

Fitz nodded, "_Are you sure Livvie?"_

Olivia smiled, _"I am. This life that I am building with you is everything to me. It may not be what I initially wanted, but it is what I want now. I'll always be a crisis manager. I don't plan to give up my career totally, but my priorities have changed. Right now being a wife and mother are more important. Marrying you makes me First Lady. Am I scared and nervous? Of course, but it doesn't make me not want it."_

Fitz hugged her, _"As long as you are okay and happy?"_

Olivia smiled, _"I am over the moon. I promise you."_

They hugged each other knowing that they were okay. Olivia got up and finished packing her bags. Fitz went out and made breakfast for them.

Olivia went to Teddy's room and found him at his desk reading.

Olivia went over and kissed his cheek, "_Buddy we leave for New York today so we need to pack some clothes."_

Teddy was going to be four soon. He was doing more on his own and that made Olivia & Fitz happy.

Teddy got up and pulled his luggage out. He had packed his pajamas and underwear. He had one outfit. Overall he did good.

Olivia smiled, "_Good job buddy but let's add a few clothes and get your travel toothbrush and toothpaste that mommy bought."_

They went to work and got everything together.

Teddy turned around, "_Mom can I bring I-pad that Papa bought me?"_

Olivia nodded that he could. Teddy noticed that Karen read a lot on her I-pad and wanted to do the same. Rowan asked if he could buy Teddy a mini I-pad and they agreed. It would hold him over till they bought him a computer for Christmas.

Teddy & Olivia went to the kitchen where Fitz & Karen already were. They sat down and enjoyed breakfast together. They cleaned up and everyone went off to get ready.

They left a little after one to pick up Nicole and the kids. Marta was going to watch the kids. Once they picked them up they took them to the jet.

Olivia held Fitz & Karen for a minute. They had spent so much time together. Olivia promised to call them when they got there. She promised to FaceTime with them each night.

A little over an hour later they were in New York. She called Fitz to let him know that they had made it and were on the way to the hotel.

Nicole had made arrangements for them to stay at the Waldorf Astoria. Olivia had informed her to book three suites. It made it easier for Secret Service to do their sweeps. The rooms that Nicole were told she booked were not available. When they tried to look it up by credit card they found nothing. Nicole was panicking. This did not look good for her. She looked at Olivia puzzled, but Olivia was not upset with her.

Olivia smiled,_ "Nicole it's okay. I'm not mad. I get the feeling my fiancée changed some things_."

She asked the gentleman to check under Grant. Sure enough for Olivia Pope there was the Towers residential 2 Bedroom Apartment that had been booked not only for this trip, but was already reserved for them when they came back on Friday. He booked two more Penthouse Suites for each trip. One for Nicole and One for Tom & Jason who he insisted travel with Olivia.

Since she was not First Lady yet they paid for everything with their personal funds. She had given access to Nicole for one of her credit cards. Fitz however called and had them charged to his card.

When they were taken to their room she figured out why Fitz changed it. The room included concierge services, limo service, exclusive dinner, and access to the spa.

She sent a text to Kerry to let her know that she was in New York and to confirm their meeting tomorrow which she did.

She checked her email and found Erin had responded to her request of wanting to get Teddy some suits to wear. She was going to be by her room tomorrow evening.

Olivia & Teddy were tired. They took their baths and changed into something comfortable. They ordered room service for dinner and watched a movie.

As it got time for bed she noticed that Teddy was clinging to her so she turned and asked what was wrong. Teddy wanted to sleep with her since it was just the two of them. Olivia was okay with that.

She grabbed her I-pad so they could call Fitz. He answered on the second ring and his face came up and he was in the Oval Office working.

Fitz smiled, _"Hi Livvie. Hi Teddy."_

Teddy smiled, _"Hi daddy. Are you working?"_

Fitz nodded, "_I am buddy. Some people in Libera are sick and need our help so we are here trying to figure some things out._

Olivia thought about it and determined he was talking about Ebola.

Olivia asked, _"Honey how long have you been working?"_

Fitz replied, "_I've only been down here for about an hour. I made sure that Karen & I had dinner. She is with Marta and the girls now_._ Olivia was aware as they had chatted before she called Fitz"_

Olivia nodded, _"Thank you for the rooms but you didn't have to."_

_"I know but I wanted to. It is the perks of having money. We can spoil ourselves sometimes."_

"_True"_

"_What time do you meet with Kerry and when is your other meeting_?"

_"I meet with Kerry at noon tomorrow. Teddy & I meet with Erin tomorrow at six to get him some suits. My other meeting is Tuesday morning at ten and we fly out at one."_

_"Okay well I'll let you rest. Call me tomorrow night. I love you guys_."

Olivia and Teddy said, _"Love you too."_

Olivia started another movie that they eventually both fell asleep on.

Olivia got up the next morning and ordered breakfast for them. She got them dressed. She went over her notes and had Nicole to come to their room to watch Teddy.

Olivia made her way to MEGU Midtown where she made reservations for lunch.

Kerry arrived the same time she did. They did a sweep and took them to a private area that was set up for them.

Kerry & Olivia hugged each other.

Kerry smiled, "_Life looks good on you. congratulations on your engagement_."

Olivia smiled, "_Thanks. I'm happy. Planning a wedding and preparing to become First Lady is a lot_."

_"I bet. How is it being in front of the cameras now. Do you miss your privacy?"_

_"I do, but I learned that we tell them only the things they have to know. The kids are legally mine, but we decided to keep it to ourselves for now. Where we are getting married is being kept a secret. I'm learning to balance. How is your husband and daughter?"_

_"They are great. I love my job. It is my passion, but having something to go home to other than Josie means everything."_

_"I know Fitz & I talked before I left. He was worried about the changes. There have been a lot, but coming home to him and the kids makes it all worth it._

_"I'm happy for you. It was tragic to see that it was almost taken from you. You are such a beautiful person."_

_"Thanks Kerry and so are you which is why I need your help. I have decided my platform. There are three specific goals I am working on. One which is the arts. I will be the honorary chair on the President's Committee on the Arts and the humanities. I would like you to be a member. They are several schools around the country that we are adopting among other projects. We want to show that the arts are important in education. If children can express themselves I think they do better in those core classes such as math and science. Once our presidency ends I want to continue this cause with our foundation. Fitz & I will pay you to be a spokesperson. I'm careful with whom I trust and I trust you."_

_"Olivia, I'm honored that you trust me. I'm happy to serve you and President Grant in your administration and with your foundation. It is a cause that is dear to me so it will be my pleasure."_

_"Good. Fitz & I are taking a honeymoon and won't be back until the second week in January. Once I return I'll have my assistant get with your assistant to schedule a time for us to meet again."_

_"Sounds good!"_

_"Will you be able to make it to the wedding?"_

_"Yes we are. We decided to make it a mini vacation. We are bringing my parents along."_

_"Good I hope to meet them and your daughter. Maybe I'll have one soon and they can have playdates."_

_"Isabelle will love that. She is loud and happy like me. Poor Nnamdi has his hands full."_

Olivia laughed. They enjoyed their lunch and chatted away. Olivia showed Kerry some of the things she was considering for her wedding. It was nice. Olivia never did this. Hang out with her friends.

They finally wrapped it up so Kerry could get back to her family and Olivia could get back to Teddy.

She made it back to the hotel where Teddy was taking a nap. She thanked Nicole and told her to enjoy her evening.

Nicole got up to leave and turned around, _"Olivia are you sure you don't need me to do anything. I don't want to be lazy."_

Olivia smiled, _"Nicole, I'm sure you are used to running around till you think you are crazy. When I'm officially First Lady I'm sure you will have those days. If I get pregnant the hormones may drive us all up a wall, but I want those days to be few and far in between. You do what I ask. Now relax. You have a night away from the kids. Enjoy it. I love you."_

Olivia turned to Teddy who had woke up, _"Go tell Auntie Nicole to go have some fun and we love her."_

Teddy ran over to Nicole, "_Thank you for reading with me Auntie. I love you. Have some fun. Me & Mommy are_."

Nicole shook her head and laughed, _"Fine. Love you guys too."_

Olivia changed into some jeans and a t-shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and put on a New York Knicks hat. She dressed Teddy the same.

Tom came to the door and he and Jason were dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Teddy was curious as he had never seen them dressed that way.

They got in the limo that was called for them. Teddy was excited. He had never been in one that he remembered.

Olivia could see his excitement. She took pictures of him.

Teddy looked over, _"Mom this is so cool. Thank you_."

Olivia smiled, "_You are so welcome buddy. I have an evening planned that I think you are going to like. Your dad is going to be jealous_."

Teddy eyes showed how excited he was. Shortly they arrived to their next destination. They got out and Teddy seen the store and was in awe.

Real life Toy Soldiers greeted them. They were at FAO Schwarz Toy Store. Teddy had never seen anything so cool. Olivia had dressed them down so the few people who may recognize her more than likely would not because of her being dressed down. The SSA were in plain clothes but close to them. Olivia had called ahead and got them a personal shopper.

Teddy had never been to a toy store. He was unsure of where to go and what to do. There was so many cool things. The shopper took them around and showed Teddy a lot of cool things.

Teddy ran to Olivia and showed her a couple of things. He was unsure of what he could get. Olivia knew that he would not always get this opportunity so she was going to spoil him.

Olivia went over to Teddy, "_Honey you can get whatever you want_."

Teddy hugged Olivia. They were taken around the store and the shopper suggested some things.

Teddy turned around, "_Mom can we get something for Courtney_?"

Olivia nodded. Olivia thought they had to be doing something right. Teddy asked the sales woman to show her to girl toys for his play sister.

Olivia helped him select a couple of things for Courtney. He got a new train set and several trains. He also got some new Lego sets. Olivia had most of it shipped to her apartment. They took the rest with them.

They went back to the hotel where they met Erin. She brought over three suits for Teddy to try on. Two of them were Armani. One was a pinstripe suit and the other was a wool suit. The other one Romano Dinner Suit. They all fit him well. There were some small alterations that were needed. Erin put a bow tie on and he hated it, but he liked the tie. They picked several for him to have. Erin finished up and told her that they would sent to her by Wednesday.

They left the hotel again and were taken to Madison Square Garden. Teddy just noticed the big building and thought it was cool. They were taken to a suite where LaLa Anthony and her son were waiting for them.

LaLa introduced herself and her son Kiyan. Olivia insisted that she call her by her first name. She introduced Teddy to LaLa and Kiyan. Teddy realized they were there to watch a basketball game.

He came running to Olivia, _"Mom look. They are the basketball players on TV_."

Olivia smiled, "_They are buddy_."

Carmelo waved at them. Teddy waved back. Olivia explained that was Kiyan's dad.

Teddy looked at Kiyan, "_That is cool. Your dad is a basketball player_."

LaLa smiled at Teddy, "_Well Teddy your dad is President and keeps us safe so that is cool too_."

Kiyan did not realize who Teddy was. He was not often photographed. Now he was excited to understand who he was meeting.

Kiyan looked at Olivia, "_Are you the First Lady Ms. Olivia_?"

Olivia smiled, "_I will be in a month."_

Kiyan smiled, "_Cool. Can we take pictures_?"

LaLa said, "_Why don't you take Teddy and introduce him to your dad before they have to go back and get dressed and we will get pictures before we leave_."

Kiyan nodded and Tom took the boys on the court. It was pre-game and there were not many people there.

Olivia and LaLa were talking when LaLa got a call. She put the call on speaker so Olivia could hear her. _"Ciara you are on speaker with Olivia."_

_"Ms. Pope, I'm sorry I was unable to make it to the game tonight. I had some appointments to take care of with my son."_

_"It's Olivia and that is fine. Thank you for agreeing to come to the White House for my daughter's birthday. She loves your music."_

_"It is my pleasure. I was shocked when my agent called. I thought I was getting punked."_

_"No Karen loves all kinds of music, but her and her friends love to work out to your songs. They have tried a few moves and I'll leave it at that. I came home one night and my fiancée was listening to your song Body Party. That night was fun. Karen overheard him talking about the song. She laughed and said the video was better. I'll never tell my daughter but she was right. That video may be what gets me pregnant_."

They all laughed.

Ciara said, _"Wow I never thought President Grant would enjoy my music_.

Olivia laughed, "_You would be surprised. Fitz loves all kinds of music. He listens to rap and R&B quite a bit. He likes to be in tune with the younger voters."_

Ciara was in awe, "_I hope I get to meet him_."

Olivia nodded, "_You will. You'll see that white man moves better than me_."

They talked for a few minutes and ended the call. The kids came back. Teddy had a basketball with autographs.

He ran over to Olivia, "_Mom this has been the best night of my life. Thank you."_

Olivia just held him. She couldn't speak or her emotions would get the best of them. Food was brought in and they ate. Soon after the game started. They took all kinds of pictures.

By the third quarter Teddy was knocked out. Olivia was getting tired to. Olivia invited LaLa & Kiyan to come to the White House with Ciara to meet Fitz and Karen. She informed her that they could all stay at Blair House.

LaLa agreed. She wasn't sure what her schedule was, but she didn't want to pass up this chance.

Tom carried Teddy to the car. Once they got back to the hotel Tom got him settled for Olivia. Tom came out the room and told Olivia that he was knocked out. He barely moved when Tom got him out of his clothes.

Olivia thanked Tom. Tom made sure she didn't need anything before he went to his room. She was fine.

Tom got to the door and turned around, _"Ms. Pope I just want you to know you are the best thing that has happened to a lot of us. I have done this job for some time. I have never seen someone with as much power as you treat people with the love and respect that you do. That is why people go over a cliff for you, because without a doubt you do the same for us. Lauren & I talked the other night and we said if we could be half the people who you and the President are then we would be okay."_

Tom walked out before Olivia could say anything. Olivia took a shower and put her night-clothes on.

She got in the bed and called Fitz. She was too tired to FaceTime him.

Fitz answered, _"Hi"_

Olivia smiled, _"Hi"_

_"So did you and your son enjoy your night on the town?"_

_"Are you jealous of us?"_

_"Kind of. I would have loved to been at a NBA game tonight, but my daughter and I spent some quality time together working on something."_

_"What would that be?"_

_"I can't tell you all our secrets. It was a bonding experience."_

_"Good you both needed it."_

_"We did. She came down and brought me dinner. She made me take a break."_

_"As she should. It keeps the stress down some."_

_"I agree. I love having the kids around. Keeps me honest."_

_"You are always honest. I miss you."_

_"I miss you too Sweet Baby. You will be home tomorrow."_

_"I can't wait."_

_"Me either. Get some sleep. I know that you have gone all day. You can tell me about your meetings when you get back."_

_"Ok I love you so much."_

_"I love you too."_

Olivia slept till about eight. She got up and Teddy was now in the bed with her. She was not sure when he got in her bed.

She got up and did her morning routine and ordered them breakfast. By that time Teddy was up. She sent him to wash his face and brush his teeth.

Nicole came to her room and took Teddy to get ready while she got ready. They made sure their bags were packed.

Olivia's meeting before she left New York was being held in her room. Jason took Teddy. Shortly after Nicole came back to the living area with Melinda Gates.

Olivia had first met Melinda Gates at a fund-raising event years ago. Over the years she and her husband had attended several White House functions.

Part of Olivia's platform was going to be centered around lower-income schools getting funded to offer their students with quality education. Olivia wanted to offset some of the cost so that it was not shut down because of more taxpayer dollars being spent. That is where the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation came in.

Olivia had spent time talking with both of them over the last couple of weeks. They had provided her with areas of opportunities along with some preliminary figures that the foundation was willing to aid the White House with.

Olivia & Melinda talked for a couple of hours. They were close to hammering a deal. Olivia informed Melinda that her office would do a little more research and send a final proposal within the next 30 and hopefully they could work something out by February. Melinda agreed. They spent a few minutes catching up.

A recent article hinted that the Gates were willing to be involved with the President's administration now. An unidentified source stated that the Gates had issues with the former First Lady. The Gates were billionaires but were huge philanthropist. They felt that the First Lady could have done more to reach all classes of people.

Although there was a lot of speculation out. Neither side had confirmed anything. It would be huge when they did and Olivia wanted to be prepared.

Olivia thanked Melinda for her support. Olivia promised that they would make sure that this was beneficial to all parties.

Melinda left. They packed up the car and made it to the air strip. Olivia was tired but excited at the opportunities that were head. She was excited about the changes in her life. Above all her family and friends were happy. She had a couple of days to relax before it was time to get in wedding mode.

**A/N-So trip one of two to New York. I am working on the second trip which will give you your first glimpse into their wedding. They are not getting married in Paris. Keep the guesses coming I have time. I also gave you a hint into Karen's birthday party. I also touched on an unforgettable night that Olivia thinks could have gotten her preggo. What do you think? Fitz & Karen spent time together. I don't discuss it in detail but it will be revealed down the road what they did. What do you think? I posted a new story. Let me know what you think. I hope to receive support on that story as well**.


	24. Body Party

**A/N-Lots of fun things happen in this chapter. The biggest thing is the second trip to New York where I show some major decisions about the wedding.**

Olivia was sitting on the plane thinking about being home. You would think that it had been months since she seen Fitz and not days. She laughed at herself because they would go months without seeing and being with each other, and Olivia was fine. That was of course before they became a family. It was before they got engaged. It was before they became committed to each other.

Olivia looked over at Teddy who was asleep. It was sad that he had been sheltered for so long. She was upset with herself because she made the deal with the devil. Instead of beating herself up she decided that she would never allow that to happen under her care.

A little over a hour later they were landing. She looked out the window and seen Fitz waiting outside the car waiting for them.

Tom noticed her looking at him. She looked up and saw that he caught her. She tried not to look out the window but failed.

Tom laughed, _"Go to him. I got Teddy"_

Olivia nodded.

When the plane landed and they opened the door for them to come out she ran down the stairs and ran to Fitz. She jumped in his arms. She kissed him like she would never get to kiss him again. Fitz held her.

Shortly he saw Tom walking over with Teddy. He held his arm out. Teddy ran into his arm. He picked him up while still holding Olivia. Fitz lived for moments like this. He held them for a moment longer, and finally put them down so they could get in the car and head home.

Once he put them down he greeted everyone else. Nicole rode in the SUV with the SSAs to allow them some family time.

Olivia laughed as they were getting in the car, _"I think I just pulled a Whitney Houston The Bodyguard on you."_

Fitz laughed, "_Yeah I agree. I think I look more handsome that Kevin Costner."_

Olivia still laughing said, "_You do"_

Fitz, Olivia, and Teddy were in the car. Olivia had her head on Fitz's chest while Teddy's head was in Olivia's lap. Teddy was telling Fitz about their trip. Fitz was looking at Teddy and it did not sound like his son. He was open, talkative, and free. He was telling Fitz about Kiyan and meeting the NBA players. How mom took him around in a limo. He was happy for Teddy, but it made him question his parentage that his son was never this happy before Olivia became a permanent fixture in his life.

Olivia leaned over and whispered,_ "I don't get all the credit for Teddy being this happy. We did this together. This is our son. He loves you. He told Kiyan all about his daddy. Not the President but his daddy."_

Fitz nodded. He was no longer surprised that Olivia knew what he was thinking. It was part of what made their relationship so special.

They pulled up at the White House and headed up to the Residence. Tom opened up the door and Karen ran up to Olivia and almost tackled her to the floor.

_"Mom, you are back"_

Olivia smiled at Karen, _"I am honey. I missed you. How was school and spending time with dad?"_

Karen smiled, _"We missed you to mom. School was good. I got an A on the English paper that you helped me with. That was exciting because I thought I sucked at English until you told me to sit down and write my thoughts out first without thinking and then go back and edit it. Now it is my favorite subject. It was also fun doing some things with dad. I missed that. We spent a lot of time together when I was little before Mellie made him spend all his time either being a politician, becoming one, or impressing one."_

Fitz smiled thinking back to the time that he spent with Karen

**Flashback**

Fitz left the Oval Office after spending hours discussing how their were going to handle the Ebola outbreak. He needed to let go being President for a while.

He went to the Residence and found Karen setting up the dinning room table for dinner.

Fitz sat down, _"I showed up just in time."_

Karen laughed, _"Yes you did."_

_"I remember before I ran for office you, me, and Gerry would eat dinner together almost every night."_

_"I remember to. Those were the good old days."_

_"They were. These are some fun times we are having now."_

_"It is. It would be the best if Gerry was still here, but I know that he is here in spirit."_

_"True so since it is just us tonight I thought I would run something by you."_

_"Sure dad what's up?"_

"_Well I've been thinking. We have about three years left here at the White House. When we leave you will be about to turn 17. I want you to finish school here and graduate with your friends. I also don't want to immediately uproot Teddy. Also your mom is having to take a break from her career to support me and this administration. I want her to be able to go back to her firm and her family once we leave the White House."_

_"Dad that sounds good. While I think that mom, Teddy, and I appreciate you thinking of us what about you? Also if you and mom have more kids where would we go? Not to mention Nana, Papa, the dogs?"_

_"Well that the thing. I wanted to surprise your mom when we get back from our honeymoon with this gift, but I wanted your advice since it will affect the family."_

_"Sure what is it?"_

_Fitz pulled out his I-Pad and opened the link and showed it to her._

_Karen looked up and him in shock, "Are you serious?"_

_Fitz nodded, "I am. What do you think?"_

_"I think that mom is going to flip. I personally love it and think that we could all be happy in this home as well as the home in Vermont. Did you buy it?"_

_"I put in a bid. The price doesn't matter but I really wanted it so I only took off a little of the asking price so they would know that I am serious. I also told the agent to disclose who I am so they would be incline to want to close. Do you want to go and look at it?"_

_"I would love to dad. Thanks for including me."_

_"No problem sweetie. I'm sorry that I allowed us to grow apart at all. I expect that I will be able to close on the house soon. I placed a call to Martha Stewart. I want you to work with her to pick out items for the house. We will leave some things for your mom to pick out but the basic furniture I want to already be in the house. She can then go back and pick colors and she can use either Martha or Jeff to held her from there."_

_"Okay dad. Sounds like a plan."_

They finished their dinner. Fitz placed a call confirming the agent could still meet them. Elgin brought a car around and took them over to the house.

They got to the house and the pictures did not do it justice. The house had seven bedroom, nine and a half baths. It was almost twelve thousand square feet. There was a formal living room, dining room, salon, chef kitchen which Olivia was going to love, family room, a gym on the lower level, a pool with a pool house that she was going to love. There was also a staff apartment that the SSAs could stay in. It was so open. They could easily have important people in the home one day and the next it could be a house full of family.

Karen loved it. She really had considered staying close to home when it was time to go to college. She was really starting to love things about the medical field. She wondered what her dad thought.

Karen looked at her dad, _"I love it dad. I think that mom would love it. I have thought about college down the road. I think I might want to go into medicine. If you guys decided to stay in D.C. longer down the road I might get into John Hopkins."_

Fitz looked at Karen, _"Honey if that is what you want then I support your decision. Go to college wherever you want. We are never more than a plane ride away."_

_"I know dad. It's just spending so many years away home makes me not want to be across the country from my family again. I want to experience college life, but be able to get in the car and come home often."_

_"Karen, when its time for you to make that decision and you still feel the same way your mom and I will support you. If you change your mind that will be fine too."_

Karen nodded. The agent came in family room where they were talking. He informed the President that the offer was accepted. Fitz thanked him and told him that he would pay cash and cover all closing cost so everyone could move on.

Karen & Fitz spent some time looking at the rooms. Karen took pictures and some measurements so she could help her dad gets some things set up.

They left the house and decided they wanted ice cream. They went through a drive through and the SSA got their order.

It was a fun daddy-daughter evening and allowed him to be more productive that night as they looked to find solutions to the Ebola problem.

**Present**

Fitz had to go back down to the Oval Office to do a conference call with the CDC. He told Olivia that he wouldn't be able to come up for dinner and should be home by no later than ten.

Olivia walked into the kitchen and yawned. She was tired. Marta was in the kitchen with Nicole, Kimberly, and Courtney. Teddy was sitting on the couch playing a game.

Olivia smiled, _"Hi ma, Kimberly, and Courtney. How are you?"_

Everyone responded hi and we are good. They spent time talking and catching up with each other. Kimberly needed some help with a project and Karen offered to help. Karen asked Olivia if she could spend the night with them and the SSA could take them school after dropping off Nicole.

Olivia was fine with that. Fitz had purchased the unit across from hers years ago so the SSAs could be more comfortable.

Marta could see that she was tired. I will fix dinner and handle Teddy this evening. Why don't you go and relax?

Olivia accepted. She went over to Teddy and told him that she was going to go take a nap and he was going to spend time with Nana. Teddy smiled and hugged her. He went back to his game.

Olivia got out of her clothes. She got in the bed. She could smell Fitz's cologne on his pillow. She thought about the weekend ahead where she really would began to put her wedding together. This was not a day she saw coming. It was coming faster than she thought. She wasn't scared. She just hoped that she was would be just as good as Olivia Pope-Grant as she was as Olivia Pope. Actually she hoped she was better. She would make better decisions.

Olivia went to sleep and when she woke up she realized that she slept for several hours. She checked her phone and seen an email from LaLa confirming that she was coming with Ciara for Karen's birthday. She smiled as she got an idea.

Olivia went and checked on Teddy. He was getting ready for bed. Olivia sat down and allowed him to read to her first and then she read until he went to sleep.

She stopped by Marta's room to say good night. She went back to their bedroom. It was 8:30. She decided to surprise her fiancée. She called down to the kitchen and had dinner sent up as well as chocolate covered strawberries.

Olivia went and took a shower. As she came out the bathroom there was a knock at the door. She opened it and took the tray and put it near the fireplace.

She went in her closet and found the outfit she was looking for. She had just gotten it recently. It was a Maharani Slip La Perla Lingerie. She bought it in all available colors and tonight she had on the pink one. She brushed her hair and pulled it up in a high. She lotioned her body with her Hempz Strawberry Cheesecake Lotion.

She received a text from Tom letting her know that Fitz was on the way up which she had requested he do. She thanked him. She went in the bathroom to start him a bath and lit candles in the bathroom as well as their room. Tonight was about them. She was about to recreate a moment and hopefully it would be just as good if not better and if it was up to her it would be the one that gets her pregnant.

Fitz came in the room and noticed the romantic setting. He was unsure how Olivia knew that he was stressed and could use some relaxation with his fiancée but he was glad. He missed her and he needed her in more ways than one.

Fitz called out for Olivia,_ "Livvie where are you baby?"_

Olivia responded, _"I am in the bathroom honey."_

Fitz opened the door to find a relaxing scene. He also noticed Olivia. Damn she was sexy in her Pink robe and she smelled like strawberries. Actually strawberry cheesecake but maybe he was losing his mind.

Fitz went over and kissed her. He smiled, "_I could get used to coming home to this."_

Olivia smiled, "_Well I promise to do it as often as I can. I know you are stressed with the crisis and I have missed you so I thought we could use some us time. This bath is for you. There is a Scotch on the Rocks by you bath pillow. Relax your body and meet me by the fireplace in 30."_

Fitz laughed, _"Damn this Olivia Pope is sexy. I want her to stick around."_

Olivia smiled, "_Okay but I thought you wanted Olivia Pope-Grant and I think that she will be even sexier but its your choice."_

They laughed. Olivia moved out of his way. She made sure that he had some boxers and his lotion near when he got out of the bathtub.

She kissed him and left him alone to relax. He called before she left out the bathroom.

Olivia turned around, "_Yes Fitz"_

Fitz smiled, _"I agree I want Olivia Pope-Grant because she is my wife, my partner, and my best friend."_

Olivia smiled, _"Good. That is what you will get and more."_

Olivia left out the bathroom. Olivia decided that she wanted to recreate their night at Camp David so she set up for them to be by the fire-place. She grabbed their extra pillows and blankets out of the closet to set everything up. She set up her I-pod.

While Olivia was setting up for their night together Fitz was in the tub relaxing. He use to never have days like this. A woman who catered to him and their children, a woman who cared about his well-being, a woman who was in love with him for who he was. He would never get better. He thanked God that he gave her to him and saved her so they would have a life they always wanted. It was nothing that he would not do for Olivia. Tonight he would show her.

Fitz got out the tub to get ready. He had no idea that he was about to get Poped. Fitz walked in their bedroom. The fire made Olivia skin glow. She was a beautiful woman. He couldn't wait to see her pregnant.

Fitz went over to the fireplace and smiled. Olivia looked up at him and smiled.

Fitz sat down in front of her and whispered, "_Camp David"_

Olivia nodded, "_I wasn't sure if you would remember."_

Fitz pulled her onto his lap, _"I would never forget one of the most satisfying nights of my life."_

Olivia whispered,_ "Me either"_

Olivia grabbed the plate and hit play on the music. The slow jam play list started. It was the same meal they shared that night which was a garden salad with ranch and shrimp scampi.

Olivia sat in his lap the whole time while they fed each other. They talked about everything that had happened the last couple of days. Fitz asked Olivia advice on how to handle the crisis and she suggested some policies they should consider. They talked about the kids and how much they enjoyed spending time with them individually.

Once they finished their food Olivia moved the tray and she grabbed the remote to change to the song of the night. She hit repeat. She looked at Fitz and said, _"Enjoy"_

Olivia took her robe off to show her outfit which caused Fitz to gasp. The slip was see through and he could see her nipples. Fitz knew he was not in control as soon as he heard the song. If it was a repeat of last time there was no complaint.

Olivia crawled up to Fitz as the words began. She was gyrating her hips and planting small kisses all over his body.

**Yeah, right there**  
><strong>No, right there<strong>  
><strong>I was having fun<strong>  
><strong>I hope you're having fun too<strong>

**My body is your party, baby**  
><strong>Nobody's invited but you baby<strong>  
><strong>I can do it slow now, tell me what you want<strong>  
><strong>Baby put your phone down, you should turn it off<strong>  
><strong>Cause tonight it's going down, tell your boys it's going down<strong>  
><strong>We in the zone now, don't stop<strong>

Olivia began to kiss down his body and was dragging her nails across his chest. As she got down to his boxers she pulled those down as she kissed his legs and thigh purposely not touching his dick.

**You can't keep your hands off me, touch me right there, rock my body**  
><strong>I can't keep my hands off you, your body is my party<strong>  
><strong>I'm doing this little dance for you<strong>  
><strong>You got me so excited<strong>  
><strong>Now it's just me and you<strong>  
><strong>Your body's my party, let's get it started<strong>

Fitz put his hands on her hips and she rocked back and forth sexually. He had never seen her dance erotically before. This was new. Damn she has superpowers too.

**Boy you should know that your love is always on my mind**  
><strong>I'm not gonna fight it, I want it all the time<strong>  
><strong>Boy you should know that your love is always on my mind<strong>  
><strong>And I can't deny it, I want you,I want you<strong>  
><strong>I can't lie, I won't lie, it's amazing<strong>  
><strong>My faces, the places, you're taking me<strong>

**Baby take your time now, there's no need to rush**  
><strong>We can go another round, if that's what you want<strong>  
><strong>Cause tonight it's going down, yeah you know it's going down<strong>  
><strong>We in the zone now, don't stop<strong>

Olivia started kissing his inner thighs and her hands made contact with his dick. She didn't give him a handjob, but gently rubbed it like it was a precious diamond. Fitz was gone. No one had ever done anything like this to him.

**You can't keep your hands off me, touch me right there, rock my body**  
><strong>I can't keep my hands off you, your body is my party<strong>  
><strong>I'm doing this little dance for you<strong>  
><strong>You got me so excited<strong>  
><strong>Now it's just me and you<strong>  
><strong>Your body's my party, let's get it started<strong>

**Boy you should know that your love is always on my mind**  
><strong>I'm not gonna fight it, I want it all the time<strong>  
><strong>Boy you should know that your love is always on my mind<strong>  
><strong>And I can't deny it, I want you, I want you<strong>

Olivia was now standing up in front of him. As she continued to dance erotically to the song she pulled the slip over her head. She now only had on the lacy pink panties. She slid back down the floor and made her way back to Fitz.

**The things I wanna do to you**  
><strong>My body's calling you<strong>  
><strong>I'm having so much fun with you<strong>  
><strong>Now it's just me on you<strong>  
><strong>Your body's my party, let's get it started, oh.<strong>

This time her tongue went from his inner thighs to the tip of his cock to his balls. She then took his cock in her mouth and went to work. There was not a part of his cock that her tongue and hands did not touch. She worked his cock to the beat of the song that was now on repeat. Fitz was in overdrive. He couldn't think, talk, or move. All he could do was grunt and take what she was giving. She knew he wanted to cum, but was holding out. So Olivia took as much of her cock as she could in her mouth and she began to hum the song while massaging his balls at the same time. That was it for Fitz and he exploded and Olivia didn't waste a drop.

Olivia was on a mission tonight. She pulled off her panties and climbed up Fitz body. She grabbed his cock and was thrusting it in her hand which she kissed him. She wanted him to taste himself. She was returning the favor. It took no time and Fitz was hard again. She never stopped kissing him as she slid his cock into her.

Fitz groaned and pulled his head back, "_Shit Livvie."_

This excited Olivia. She had Fitz unglued. Olivia was leaving it all on the table tonight. She rode Fitz like he was a horse. For once Fitz couldn't keep up and he let Olivia have control.

He looked up at Olivia. She looked him in the eye while she rode him. She didn't say a word to him. She was moaning but in control. It was like she was on a mission.

If her riding him like a horse wasn't enough she started twerking him. His eyes widened. Damn who was this vixen. She took her hands off of his chest and rode him to the beat of the song and would twerk every couple of thrusts.

Neither one of them could hold on any longer and they released at the same time. Olivia fell on his chest. It took them a minute to catch their breath, but Olivia set the tone and damn if Fitz wasn't going to answer the call.

He flipped Olivia over and slid into her hard and deep.

Olivia arched her back, _"Shit Fitz that feels so good."_

It was his turn to fuck the shit out of her and he did. He was pounding her so hard that he grabbed her hair and started smacking her ass. Olivia loved it all and was meeting him thrust for thrust. He went harder she kept up. He went deeper she still met him. He was determined to win. He grabbed her hips so she couldn't move and just fucked her. Nothing about this was making love. They were fucking the shit out of each other and loving every minute of it.

Olivia screamed into the pillow. She knew there was going to be bruises tomorrow and that excited her.

Fitz was determined that she was going to cum first this time. He pounded into her over and over. He leaned over and whispered, "_Give in Livvie. Cum. I know you want you."_

Olivia finally gave in and her orgasm rocked her. She thought she was seeing stars. Both of them were throughly fucked, but it wasn't enough. It was like they needed to go one more round for extra measure.

Olivia was on her side. Fitz lifted her leg and slipped into her. He looked her in the eye as he slid into her. He was going slow and deep. He was making love to her. He look at her and tears came to his eyes which caused tears to come to her eyes. They had never loved like this. Tonight was everything. She wrapped her arm around his neck. Fitz leaned down and kissed her. They kissed between moans. They never took their eyes off each other. It was unspoken they were going over the cliff together. Fitz sped up a little and moved her leg and went deeper. Olivia arched her body, but never took her eyes off of Fitz. They were both crying. This was definitely a Body Party. Fitz thrust a couple more times and they held onto each other tightly as their orgasms ripped through them. Not once did they take their eyes off each other.

Neither was sure when they came back to earth. Fitz grabbed the throw to put over them. Nothing needed to be said. Their emotions said it all. Fitz held her close. As Olivia fell asleep something told her they made a baby that night.

Fitz woke up at six. He felt like he had run a marathon. After he used the bathroom he cleaned up and threw on some pajamas and went and made Karen some breakfast. He let Karen know Olivia was sleeping this morning. He got her out the door and went back to bed. He checked his schedule and seem he had nothing important till noon. He sent a message to Cyrus asking him to handle the morning briefs for him and he responded right away that he would.

He got back on their makeshift bed and fell asleep. He woke up to find Olivia staring at him. He could tell she was thinking about last night.

Fitz kissed her forehead, "_You want to talk about it?"_

Olivia shrugged, _"I'm not sure there is anything to talk about."_

Fitz laughed, _"We can talk about why you been holding out? Where did all of those superpowers of yours come from?"_

Olivia laughed, "_I'm not sure what happen to me last night Fitz."_

"_Are you upset with the things you did?"_

_"Oh no not at all. Just not sure where it came from."_

_"Me either but I liked it."_

"_Me too. I was talking with LaLa in New York and Ciara called to confirm her doing the show for Karen's birthday. I was telling her that you liked the song "Body Party" and I thought you could have gotten me pregnant that night. That night I watched the video and it lit something in me. Like I wanted to feel as sexy as she seemed in the video. I wanted you to look at me like that. I wanted to not be a prude."_

_"Livvie, prude is the last thing you have ever been in bed."_

_"I know but I wanted to feel empowered. I wanted control. I wanted you to lose your mind."_

_"I can say you achieved your task."_

_"I wanted to make a baby last night."_

Fitz sat up and pulled her on his lap, "_Well I am going to go with my gut and say that we not only made a baby, but we made two last night."_

Olivia laughed, "_Funny. You are just saying that because you think that I won't go through with having multiple kids with you."_

Fitz nodded, _"Maybe"_

They stood up and began to clean up so Fitz could get ready for work.

Olivia stopped and turned around, "_I'm sure I may say it in labor because it hurts, but I promise at least two pregnancies with you. I know we have two, but I like the idea of us having a big family. Something neither one of us had."_

Fitz nodded, "_Whatever you want Livvie. I'm game_.

Fitz & Olivia went and took a shower and got ready. She checked her phone and seen a text from Nicole letting Olivia know that she had Teddy in her office.

They headed down together. Fitz let Olivia know that he would take Teddy with him Thursday. They went their separate way and went to work.

Fitz had taken Olivia's advice and they began to put protocols in place. Worked on funding to aid in the fight.

Olivia was working hard to nail down her platform. She had received some information that she requested so she could research where she could be most useful.

David had email her some things to look over to the wedding. He confirmed that the two wedding gowns that she had narrowed down had arrived and were at his office for her to try on and decide.

She sent David a response thanking him for everything. She also let him know that she wanted to include the kids in the ceremony and give them something that would bring them together as a family. She wanted to see if he had any ideas and let him know that would not need to be decided before they left Sunday.

Olivia & Fitz each worked late. They did stop and go upstairs and eat with the kids. They still both had so much to do that Nicole and the kids were going to stay. Nicole had a feeling they would be busy so she had packed a bag to stay. The kids had clothes, shoes, and toiletries in their room so she never had to pack for them.

Thursday ended up being the same for Olivia and Fitz. They got the kids to school. Olivia would take a break to greet the girls when they got in from school. Teddy was with Fitz today. His suits had arrived. When she got him dressed it brought her to tears. He looked so much like Fitz it was scary. She took pictures and posted them to her personal and the White House Twitter pages. It was a trending topic all day with the #FuturePresident.

That night Fitz talked about how mature Teddy acted. He did his education lessons without having to be told. Olivia had sent Fitz a text because she thought he would forget. He did, but when he went over Teddy was already working on them. Olivia had recently bought lessons for five and six years old. Teddy was beginning to learn them. She didn't want to stunt his growth. If he got it great. If he didn't they would go back to what they were doing. She just wanted to show him it was okay to want more. If you learn something and master it go on to something bigger and better.

Friday came and it was a busy day for everyone. Olivia had made sure that they were all packed before they went to bed the previous night. Once the kids were off to school she went and sat in on a couple of meeting with Fitz. He was looking at gun control but he was debating on whether he felt they were ready to tackle that issue. He also concerns about race relations. While many white people wanted to say there was no race issues he disagreed. Olivia had to work four times as hard as he ever had to. He knew it was because she was black and a woman. They had many pillow talks about this. Fitz wanted to discuss it more when she became First Lady, but only if she was comfortable. Olivia thought about it and decided that if they were going to make history they might as well do it big and use the platform. It would not always be there.

As soon as the kids got home from school Olivia sent them to change their clothes. Tom & the agents that were going with them had packed up one of the vehicles with their luggage. Fitz rode with them to the air strip. He would be alone this weekend since Marta was also going. He had already called Rowan and they were going to golf one day this weekend so they could spend some time together. He also had plenty of work.

A little over an hour later they were in New York. It was a little after five. Their weekend was jam-packed. There was a limo and a town car. They took them straight to David's Office. Tom & Jason did a walk through and then went and helped everyone out and into the office.

David met Olivia and gave her a hug and a kiss, "_Are you excited to really get the ball really going?"_

Olivia looked at Marta, Nicole, Karen, Teddy, Kimberly, and Courtney and shrugged. _"As ready as I'm going to be."_

David took them to the conference room where Alissa was waiting on them. She greeted everyone.

David sat down and got to business. David confirmed that he had received all the paperwork for them to get married. The publication had been put out. They had gotten everyone's passport.

Alissa confirmed that the Secret Service had responded back to her that they approved all the employees and family members that would be making the trip.

Since everyone had run all day and the kids had not had dinner they decided to taste food and cake tomorrow.

David had the bridemaids dresses there for Olivia to select from. Luckily for her they all had similar body types. Nicole and Karen tried on several dresses. Nothing excited Olivia until Karen came out with the next to the last dress and she knew it was it.

Karen had on a Belsoie Bridesmaid Dress. It was formal but fun. It would work for everyone. She selected the dress. They went ahead and got Nicole and Karen measured. The other girls would go into a shop that carried this line and get their measurement so the dresses could be ordered.

When David brought out the junior bridesmaid dresses he knew which she wanted. Courtney tried it on and it was perfect. It was an Alexia Designs Junior Bridesmaid Dress. They got them fitted and marked off the list.

Olivia decided to try her dresses tonight as well. Alissa had a consultant on hand to help Olivia. David was pulling up the Save a Date and Invitations for her to look at that were sent out. She came out the room and everyone stopped talking.

Everyone including David was in tears. She looked like an angel. Olivia was a fashionista but this was a whole other level. Karen stood up and went over to her. She just stared. She cried every time she tried to talk which made Olivia cry. They allowed this mother-daughter moment. It was a moment for them to never forget. Olivia would one day see Karen come out and share this moment again.

Karen finally spoke, _"Mom I'm not sure how the other dress will look. You always tell me when you get it right leave it alone. I say stick with this dress. Dad is going to freak. He will not be able to breathe when he sees you. I'll bet you he cries."_

Olivia nodded and hugged Karen. Tricia the consultant brought a veil and tiara and added it so Olivia could get a better idea. It completely sold her at that point.

David came over. Olivia nodded at him since she was still emotional. It was a new collection that had not been put out yet. When she emailed it to David he told her would make it happen. She had given him more than enough time. They took some measurements and Olivia went to take off what would now be her wedding dress.

When she came out David informed her that he emailed her the invitations, wedding cake designs, and food menus to consider with Fitz tonight. They would meet back up at two tomorrow to make more decisions and try cake and food. He also showed her the save a dates which she loved. They had used a picture from the engagement photos the photographer took.

Olivia thanked everyone and they head to their cars so they could check into the hotel. It didn't take long at all to check in. The same gentleman was there that check her and Nicole in a week ago. There were more suites this time but Fitz had paid for it all. Olivia and her kids were in one suite, Nicole and her two were in one, the SSAs had their own suite, and he had gotten Marta her own so she could relax.

Everyone was really tired and had no wish to go out so Olivia asked the kids what they wanted for dinner and the kids all screamed pizza. She called the front desk and they recommended Angelo's Pizza. They looked it up online and Tom got everyone's order. She placed it and paid for it online so Tom would just have go in and pick it up.

While Tom was gone everyone went to their rooms to take a shower and put on some lounge clothes.

Olivia decided to Facetime Fitz. She called him and he answered on the second ring. She could see that he was still in the Oval and he looked tired.

Olivia smiled,_ "Hi baby!"_

Fitz smiled back at her, _"Hi sweet baby. How are you?"_

Olivia smiled, "_Tired but spending the evening with David making decisions about wedding was a surreal moment. It really feels real now."_

Fitz laughed,_ "I'm glad its real. You look happy. What did you decide on this far?"_

Olivia said,_ "I selected the bridesmaid and junior bridesmaid dresses. Oh and David confirmed that we have our marriage license. He is going to take care of the publication. Everyone's passports have arrived. David & Nicole set up a secure mailbox her to get somethings sent to hopefully kept the details of our wedding and place a secret. I also picked my wedding gown."_

Fitz looked at Olivia and noticed the tears in her eyes, _"It looks like you found your dress honey."_

Olivia nodded, _"I did and it was everything. I really feel like a bride."_

Fitz smiled, _"As long as you are happy. What do we need to decide on tonight before you see David tomorrow?"_

Olivia said, "_First the invitations."_

Olivia told him to pull up his email so he could look with her. Fitz opened his laptop and pulled up her email. He opened the invitations. Since Olivia wanted a formal wedding he thought the invitations should look formal as well.

They agreed on a Purple Silk Cloth Invitation that had a White Ribbon and Brooch.

Next they look at wedding cakes. Buddy from Cake Boss had accepted their request to make their wedding cake. While it was girlie to Fitz he knew that which one Olivia wanted.

Fitz said, "_Livvie get him to make the Cinderella Castle Cake." The cake would have Swarovski crystals and the topper was a castle. "All I ask is one of the layers be red velvet."_

Olivia smiled, _"Done"_

When it came to the food Fitz let Olivia know that he didn't care, but he would prefer the food not be too fancy. As President he had his fair share of food that he had to endure. On his wedding day he preferred to enjoy his meal.

Olivia smiled, "_I agree. I'll let you know tomorrow night what we decided. Oh I was thinking about having a desert table that would have like cupcakes and tarts which I think would be fun. I also thought of adding a candy table since we want the kids involved."_

Fitz smiled, _"I love it Livvie. Do it. I want our day to what we wanted. This is not about being President and First Lady. It is about us coming together as one and celebrate being Mr. & Mrs. Grant so pick what you want okay."_

Olivia smiled at him. This is why she was in love with him, _"I will."_

Fitz told her that he had no specifics on what the decor and flower should look like. He would leave that to her and David. They talked for a few minutes and then he let her go so she could eat and get some sleep. He told her to give the kids his love.

Olivia ended the chat. Tom had come back and their were at the table eating. She joined everyone and ate dinner. Everyone left to relax in their rooms. Olivia, Karen, and Teddy went in her room. They got in her bed to watch a movie. They ended up sleeping together that night as they fell asleep watching a movie.

They all slept in Saturday morning. Once they were up Olivia ordered them breakfast. She wanted to eat breakfast just with her kids this morning. They talked and the kids loved being able to relax and talk to their mom about anything. Olivia informed them that after they finish with David that she has some treats for them tonight and tomorrow.

Once they finished breakfast they proceeded to get ready for the day. Olivia didn't want to be at David's all afternoon so she emailed him the decisions that she and Fitz had made.

Everyone was ready so they proceeded to the cars to head back to David's office. As soon as they were cleared they headed up to get to work.

After tasting food and cake everyone fave their opinions and Olivia made several decisions.

Their wedding cake would be now be a six layer cake. The layers would alternate and they would be lemon, marble, and red velvet.

She decided that she wanted her guest to have options.

-**They**** would have the choice of seafood salad or tuscan garden salad**

**-For the main course they would choose from salmon or a rack of lamb**

**Their sides with their main entrée would be seasoned vegetables and potato croquettes**

They would have a full bar. The dinner would be served with wine which Olivia would decide on in the next two weeks so it could be ordered.

Olivia had no specific demands on the decor and table settings. She left that to David. He had her colors. Finally when it came to the flowers he was open to that as well as long as he included Casablanca lilies, tulips, and orchid.

Olivia was glad that the major decisions were out the way. Rowan had talked to Olivia & Fitz and asked that they allow him to pay for some of the wedding. It had nothing to do with money, but something he really wanted to do for them. Olivia had initially declined but Fitz talked to her and asked her to allow him to do this. He needed to know he was doing something good for his daughter. When Fitz explained it to her that way she agreed. Rowan had given his black card to Marta so she handed it over to David. They were paying for the food, the cake, the desert bar, the candy bar, and all the floral arrangements.

Olivia thanked David again for everything. They would be in touch. They still needed to iron out some small details for the rehearsal dinner. As it got closer they would chat to confirm all the arrangements, vendors, and details. Also he would get to her with an idea for the kids during the ceremony.

They left and now it was time to relax and spend time with the kids. Teddy was excited to be back in New York. None of the girls had been to New York including Karen and Marta. It was Nicole's first time last weekend.

Olivia had asked the SSAs to wear plain clothes so that the kids could enjoy the outing. Olivia had called ahead and got each place to clear out some time to allow the family to shop. The kids did not have a clue. Their went to Diesel Kids in SoHo so that Teddy and Courtney could get some clothes, they went to the Puma store in SoHo so they could all get shoes. Olivia had Marta & Nicole pick up a couple of pair as well, and they stopped by H&M in Chelsea for Karen & Kimberly. The kids had a blast. The adults enjoyed being able to relax and spend time with them. For dinner they went to Colicchio & Sons. She chose this restaurant because it was down to earth and the menu changed daily. The fun part of dinner is that they always continued to deliver plates so there was no sit back and wait kinds of scenario which she thought the kids would appreciate as well as the SSAs who were with them. They enjoyed dinner and talked. The kids had taken pictures on their phone of the city so they were sharing them with each other and the adults. Once they were done they went back to the hotel. They were getting an earlier start tomorrow to allow the kids time to enjoy their last surprise. They got to the room and called Fitz so he would know they were in safe. He could see that they were tired and he knew the plans for tomorrow so he told them to go to bed and tell him all about it when they returned.

Everyone was up for an early start. Everyone was fed and dressed casually even the agents. They checked out the hotel and headed for their destination where they would spend the day. They arrived and the kids looked out the window. Karen was the first one to realize where they were.

Karen looked at mom, _"Really"_

Olivia smiled,_ "Really"_

Olivia let everyone know that they were at Central Park. Everyone was excited. They walked around for a few before they headed to their first destination which was the Central Park Zoo. While everyone was excited Teddy & Courtney were beyond thrilled.

Teddy asked Olivia could they take pictures with her phone. Now that she had kids she wanted more than pictures from her phone so she invested in a digital camera. She pulled out the camera and she showed Teddy how to use it so he could take pictures. They looked at several exhibits but the Polar Circle seem to be everyone's favorite. Olivia purchased tickets for them to see The Polar Express 4-D Experience.

Olivia loved The Polar Express so this was a wonderful experience for her. She explained to the kids how this was based on a book. Karen was not familiar with the book, but after seeing the show she wanted to read it. Olivia promised to get her the book.

They left the zoo on to their next adventure which she was excited about. They arrived at the Wollman Skating Rink. Karen had been ice skating a couple of times, but it had been years. The other kids had never been. They were all excited. Olivia paid for everyone's skates. Kimberly & Karen went on the rink. Karen helped Kimberly and she caught on pretty quick. Olivia skated with Teddy & Courtney. They never went fast but they didn't fall much. They were having a blast. Nicole & Marta had sat this activity out but were taking tons of pictures. Tom, Jason, and Elgin were out there with them. You looked at the kids and they looked like any normal child. That was the point.

They all began to get hungry so they turned in their skates and grabbed lunch from a vendor. They walked around the park some more. Before they left they stop at the Conservatory Garden. It was a bonding moment for Olivia & Karen. It made them think of Gerry. It was something that the adults could see. They allowed them some time to reflect. It felt like he was there, and he was at peace. They were all happy. Karen finally grabbed Olivia's hand and nodded. No words were needed.

They climbed in the cars and headed to the air strip. The trip to New York was a success. Wedding plans were definitely under way. Olivia was becoming more comfortable with who she was now. She no longer feared this life. She welcomed it.

As the plane left the run way Olivia's mind was already on the next project at hand. That was her daughter's 13th birthday. It was their first one as a family. She hoped that Karen liked the party that she helped put together. David had sent her an email confirming all the details. It was not discussed this weekend. He would arrive in D.C. on Thursday and would be staying at Blair House. They had to make sure that Karen did not see him which really wouldn't be hard. Times had changed for Olivia Pope and she would have it no other way.

**A/N-So next up is Karen's Birthday. I have released several details on the wedding. Any more guesses about where they are going to get married at? I posted links for you to see the dresses as well as the invitations that I selected. Also I have started a third story. The first four chapters are posted. I am working on the next installment of Life Changes.**


	25. Author's Note

**Readers,**

**I wanted to first say that I am thankful for all of the reviews and support. I love writing but it is harder to write when you feel that no one is reading. I have read other stories and see where they have tons of views and reviews. That doesn't seem to be the case for me. I am not sure if it is my writing or if I can find a way to get my stories out there for more people to view. Any advice and support would be greatly appreciated as I don't want to waste anyone's time...**


	26. Karen's Celebration

When they returned from New York there was no down time for Olivia. Karen's birthday was coming up on Sunday, and Olivia had the weekend had been working with the staff at Blair House to make sure that it was prepared. Ciara & her son, La La & her son, and David, his partner, & daughter in addition to three of his assistants would arrive on Thursday. Fitz had arranged for them to join them for dinner at Blair House Thursday so he could meet them. Olivia was going to bring Teddy so he could hang out with Kiyan. Since Teddy was not familiar with who Ciara was they were going to tell him if he ask that she was a friend of La La that wanted to meet Fitz.

Fitz & Olivia had a lot of meetings lined up in the next two weeks. They would be flying out the Friday before Christmas and they would not be returning until January 4th.

Olivia woke up at three a.m. in pain on Tuesday. Her head was killing her to the point that it was making her sick. She tried to get up and make it to the bathroom but couldn't. She managed to grab the trash can in time.

Fitz jumped up when he heard her vomiting. He immediately went over to her and held her hair. She told Fitz that she had a headache. He went to the bathroom and grabbed a cool cloth and some mouth strips. He went over to their mini refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. He knew she didn't want to take them because she would sleep but she had no choice.

He grabbed her migraine pills. He knew Olivia was in pain when she didn't argue about taking the pills. She moaned in pain and that hurt Fitz to listen.

Fitz climbed in the bed behind her and he pulled her back to him. She curled up in to his chest. He gently rubbed her temples until the medicine kicked in.

It was close to five in the morning. He grabbed her phone and send a message to Nicole. He emailed Lauren and asked her when she got in at seven to look at Olivia's schedule and see what meetings she had. He figured between him, Nicole, and Abby they could help out. It wasn't a lot of room to move things around with the holidays coming up.

After he sent the messages he went and took a shower. He put on some sweats and went to make Karen some breakfast. Fitz had told Karen that Olivia had woke up with a migraine that was really bad. She had taken the prescription medicines. Karen knew that meant that it would make her sleep. Karen told her dad that they did not have any more practices before the holiday so he would take care of mom when he got home.

Once Karen left he went and got dressed and went down to the office. Lauren was at her desk. She told Fitz that Olivia had a meeting with Georgetown to confirm that they would accept Amelia, Alana, and Christina when the winter session started. She also has a conference call with Melinda Gates to confirm the terms of their agreement. She also has a conference call with David to confirm everything for Karen's celebration. She was also going to sit in some meetings that you requested her in.

Fitz nodded,_ "Lauren I need you to work my schedule around so that I can handle the calls with Georgetown and Melinda Gates. I would say allot 45 minutes for each call. I will have Nicole to handle the call with David. I am sure that she is familiar with everything."_

Lauren nodded,_ "I will take care of it and I will email you an updated schedule. I will also go ahead and take a look at tomorrow to be on the safe side."_

Fitz went through the morning briefs and went back to the Residence. Teddy was sitting down eating breakfast with Marta.

Fitz smiled, _"Hey buddy your mom is not feeling good so do you want to go put on your big boy clothes and come work with daddy today."_

Teddy was excited, _"Yes please"_

Fitz nodded, _"Finish your breakfast and meet me in your room"_

Teddy nodded, "Yes sir"

Fitz smiled. It was another thing that Olivia was teaching the kids. It wasn't that they didn't mind their manners, but Olivia wanted them to respect their elders. He had no problem with it. The kids never gave them a problem when Fitz & Olivia put rules in place. While they had a staff that would clean after them and do whatever they needed Olivia refused to allow it.

They would not be in the White House forever, and in the real world most people had to take care of themselves. Olivia was determined that while their children may be wealthy they would have the ability to take care of themselves. Hopefully when they got older they would use their money in the right way.

Fitz got Teddy dressed. He stopped by their room to check on Olivia. She was still sleep. He pulled out a bottle of water and her pills and sat them on the table beside her.

Marta informed him that he would check on her. Fitz told her that Karen would be home after school since their was no practice.

Fitz made it back to the Oval for a day of meetings and phone conferences. He had no break with his meetings and Olivia's meetings. He spoke with Nicole and made sure that she handled the conference with David for Karen's party.

Lauren brought Fitz & Teddy some lunch. Teddy spent most of the morning going over his lessons on his LEAP frog. He was doing better with the new lessons that Olivia had gotten him. At first he was really frustrated because he could get anything right. Olivia had sat with him one evening and walked him through the lessons. She told him that if he got one right then that was good. If he continued to work hard he would get it, and if he didn't then they would continue to work on it until he got it right. She reminded him that all they wanted was for him to do his best.

After lunch Teddy got on the couch and took a nap. Fitz covered him up. He spoke with the President of Georgetown and confirmed that all three young women were accepted. He informed the President that the women had high marks in high school. They had participated in some clubs. One was coming for pre-law, one was pre-med, and the last one was going to study government, politics, and policy. They had been able to secure some scholarships for them. Fitz asked him to email his secretary the remaining balance and they would go ahead and pay it off when they returned from vacation. Fitz said they would contribute and support the school especially when they were out of office. The men wrapped up the call and they congratulated him again on the impending marriage.

Fitz called Nicole and informed her that the girls were accepted and they needed housing. He remembered that one of them had children. He told her that he would have Lauren to send her the information of his real estate broker and if she could assist them in finding a house for the women to live in. Considering that two of them were pre-law and pre-med Fitz told Nicole to tell him to find something for them to purchase. He remembered she had two kids so she told Nicole he thinks it should be at least six or seven bedroom so they could have a guest room or rooms. He wanted it to have a pool for the kids. Fitz thanked Nicole for her help and ended the call.

Fitz spent the next couple of hours working on some bills that he wanted to get passed in the new year. Lauren had called him earlier and told him that Melinda was in the city and asked if she could stop by. Fitz wanted things to go well for Olivia so he agreed.

Lauren knocked and informed him that Melinda Gates had arrived. Teddy was just waking up when she entered.

Fitz walked up to Melinda,_ "Mrs. Gates it is a pleasure to see you. I never get to you see you much one on one."_

Melinda, _"Please call me Melinda President Grant. I agree. I am sorry to hear Olivia is under the weather, but I was grateful that you took the time to see me on her behalf"_

Fitz nodded_, "It is not a problem. She is my other half. If she is down then I step up and she does the same for me."_

Melinda sat down and Fitz introduced Teddy to her. Teddy was polite and respectful and when he shook her hand he looked her in the eye like Olivia showed him.

Teddy was getting a little hungry and it was time for his afternoon snack. He asked Melinda to give him a moment. He called Lauren who came in and told Fitz she would take him and feed him his snack so he could talk to Melinda. He thanked her.

Fitz came back and sat across from Melinda so they could continue their meeting.

Melinda spoke,_ "I'll be honest President Grant we had no real interest in this administration until Olivia came along. It was not you personally, but the former First Lady rubbed me the wrong way. We are wealthy like you are, but find it pointless to keep our money to ourselves and not find a way to better this world."_

Fitz nodded, _"I agree with you. I'm not offended by the truth. It is the reason that I decided to live in my truth no matter the consequences. Olivia thrives off of making the world a better place. She really believes that with your foundation's assistance that she can make strides in our last term here. Unfortunately she gets these migraines from time to time since she has been shot so please don't take it as a sign that she does not want this."_

_"I think no such thing. Olivia has been passionate from the moment we spoke. I have listened to her suggestions and she has listened to mine. We have researched hundreds of documents to try to see where the most needs are. Olivia will be the epitome of a First Lady. I respect you greatly now. You have not made her ornamental, but functional. Few men of power respect a woman as intelligent as Olivia. They would take ever chance they get to dummy her down. That is not you. As President you are an example to men that a powerful and smart woman does not make them weak but better. Bill & I look forward to all the things that we think this administration can now accomplish. We look forward to working with you even past your term. Olivia shared your desire to start a foundation. I think that if we team up we can make some powerful things happen."_

Fitz smiled,_ "Melinda, thank you for your kind words. Olivia has always been smarter than me. She could be President if she wanted, but her preference is behind the scenes. I am proud of her. She has survived a lot and I can not wait to see her excel as First Lady. I will never accept her sitting on the sidelines. I look forward to everything that we can do to change and make this world a little better."_

Melinda smiled, _"Good. Please give Olivia my regards and let her know that I was thinking about her. Bill & I will see you at your wedding. We look forward to such a joyous occasion."_

Fitz got up and they hugged one another. He saw her out of his office. Teddy waved at her as she left. Teddy was helping Lauren sort some papers. Lauren told him she would keep Teddy as they were doing important work.

Marta ended up coming down to get Teddy because Fitz was called down to the situation room. He was in their for most of the evening as they were dealing with ISIS beheading another reporter.

Fitz never made it back up the Residence that night. They were working to confirm that the video was authentic. Fitz then was on the phone with the family offering his condolences. They were working on a statement to release to the media. He also was going to have to answer some questions as the problem was getting bigger and bigger.

Tom had went to the Residence to get him a change of clothes. He also kept toiletries in the office for nights like the one he just had.

Tom had informed him that Olivia was still dealing with a migraine. He had Tom to call the White House doctor to make sure she didn't need something stronger. He felt horrible that he could not take care of her.

Tom said_, "Mr. President you know she would want you concentrating on this crisis. We are taking care of her. She knows you are not pawning her off."_

Fitz nodded. He went and showered and changed. He headed back to the Situation Room. It seems that ISIS was still making demands and promising to continue to kill. The White House had released an official statement. The family of the reporter that was killed was on the Today show. They had talked about the White House and how President Grant and his administration had been nothing but kind to them since they had received the video. The couple had assured the public that the White House was doing everything in their power to handle the crisis. The wife talked told Matt Lauer that her 15-year-old daughter was in the room when he called. He had spoken to her for several minutes and offered to do something for her that they could not disclose. I can not thank him enough for that.

They watched on in surprise. They had not asked the couple to speak on their behalf. It was free publicity. They had taken some pressure off of them. Fitz was not entirely comfortable that it was happening at this families expense.

Cyrus came over,_ "Sir, we didn't ask them to say anything. You know me I take it how I can get it. They just took a load of pressure off of us. Nevertheless you know where your heart was and that is all that matters. That family is in pain because of their loss, but they know that we will do everything in our power to trying and bring justice to their killer. By the way what did you offer their daughter."_

Fitz looked up_, "Their son was in the military before he became a reporter. They are burying him in Arlington National Cemetery. I offered to fly them up Friday and put them in the Hay Adams and I invited their daughter Candace to Karen's party so she can hang out with some teenagers."_

Cyrus nodded. Fitz saw that look.

Fitz shook his head_, "My daughter's party is private and it will remain that way. It is why I asked them not to disclose what I offered. I will not make a spectacle of this family. So help me God if I see or find out any media is near that party I will fire every member of this administration and start over if I have to. Mellie put their lives out there enough. She is turning 13. She is a child. Olivia & I will not use our children as a chess pieces. So I am telling you and you tell whoever you need to my warning. It is the only one I will give. Fuck with my family and I will bury you."_

Fitz walked out the room. Cyrus was shocked. He knew that Fitz had changed since him and Olivia had become an official couple, but for the first time ever he was really afraid of Fitz. He used to defer to Olivia to be the pit bull. Now they both were pit bulls especially when it came to their family. Cyrus knew he had to fall in line if he wanted to remain not only a part of this administration but in their lives. He officially had no say with Fitz anymore.

Fitz went back down to his office. He made sure that Lauren had got his email about bringing the Lewis family down for the weekend. He had not eaten much. He was tired. He missed his own family who were close, but so far away. These were the times when he hated being President especially now with having a real partner beside him.

As soon as he sat down at his desk Lauren called him and told him that Rowan was on the phone and wanted to see if he could take it. Fitz told Lauren to put him through.

Fitz picked up the phone, _"Hey dad what's up?"_

Rowan said, _"Son, I'm good. I know that you are busy but this couldn't wait. I needed to tell you this before anyone else."_

_"Sure what is it?"_

_"We assisted David Rosen behind the scene into the investigation of how Gerry was given the meningitis."_

_"Okay you are scaring me."_

_"I'm sorry son, but Gerry was not supposed to be the one who died that night. You were."_

Fitz dropped the phone. This couldn't be happening. Fitz composed himself to finish the conversation.

_"Sorry do we know who is responsible for this?"_

_"Yes Mellie and Jake"_

_"Excuse me"_

_"Jake has access to the facility where he got the deadly strain. Mellie made sure that he had access to the campaign stop. He grew his hair out and a long beard. He also put on a spray tan that darkened his skin in the event you looked at him. As you were going up the steps is when it was supposed to happen. Olivia called you to find out where you were so you stepped aside. Gerry stepped up and Jake didn't notice that you had moved back and Jerry stepped forward beside Mellie and it was too late."_

_"Why?"_

_"Mellie knew that you were ready to leave her regardless of what Olivia said to you. She had no plans to be humiliated. A widow of a President could get her everything that she needed. Jake got Olivia because you would be gone. We never killed Jake. I had a feeling that he had done something. I wasn't sure at the time, but I needed to find out. David is charging them both with murder. However he is not going to add the charges until after you return from your vacation and wedding so you are not hounded with questions. I am sorry son."_

_"I know it hurts but we will deal with it. Thank you for calling."_

Fitz ended the call. He got on the couch and just crashed. Hopefully he could catch a nap and then he would get up and work some more.

In the Residence the kids were working on their homework and eating a snack. Nicole had come up to check on Olivia and found her up and moving. Olivia had her Macbook looking at her schedule trying to figure out how she was going to accomplish everything now that she had been sick for the last two days.

Nicole knocked and Olivia told her to come in. She was sitting at the desk. Nicole gave her a hug and sat down.

Olivia smiled_, "I was looking at my schedule trying to figure out how to handle it."_

Nicole smiled_, "You don't we took care of it all. Your fiancée knew that with the vacation and wedding coming up that you had no real room to move things around so Lauren and I at his request moved some of your meetings and calls for him to handle. I handled David and confirmed everything for Karen's party and made sure all the travel arrangements were complete for everyone. I spoke with Blair House and it is ready. We completed the menu for dinner tomorrow night._

You had nothing personally planned other than picking up Karen's gifts and picking up the favors for the party and putting the bags together today. I handled that and Lauren and Teddy helped me put them together. I have them locked up until the weekend.

Olivia looked on shocked, _"He talked to the university and to Melinda?"_

Nicole nodded, _"He talked to the university and confirm their enrollment. He sent me the information of his real estate broker and we are working on securing a house for them. I spoke with all three of them this morning, and they are excited for the opportunity you gave them. They wanted me to tell you to get better and they can't wait to see you. I have confirmed their flights and rooms. As far as Mrs. Gates he didn't talk to her he saw her personally after she requested it because he wanted to assure her that your platform was important to you, but you physically were not available. Lauren told me that she is thrilled to not only work with you now but once the term is over when you guys get your foundation off the ground. I'm told she had great things to say about you."_

Olivia nodded, _"Where is Fitz?"_

Nicole said,_ "More than likely he is either in the Oval office or in the Situation Room."_

Nicole caught her up on the new ISIS beheading. She explained to Olivia that he had spent all Tuesday evening and night on calls and in meetings then the beheading video came out and he has been dealing with it non-stop. Tom had to come get him a change of clothes.

Olivia thanked Nicole for everything. Her phone rang and she saw it was her dad.

Olivia answered,_ "Hey daddy what's up?"_

Rowan said, _"Just busy how are you feeling?"_

"_Better. I'm not sure how this one came on."_

_"I'm glad to hear that you are better. I need to tell you something. Are you sitting down?"_

_"I am what is going on dad_"

Rowan repeated the same story to her that he did to Fitz. Olivia just sat there stunned. Then she became mad. Twisted wasn't even the word that described this. Olivia thanked her dad. She told him that she would see him this weekend. She put on something more presentable and made her way down to the Oval office.

Lauren greeted her. Olivia thanked her for helping her. Lauren told her that he was in there. It was quiet so maybe he was catching a nap. He had been running crazy for the last 24 hours.

Olivia walked in the office and Fitz was on the couch fully dressed including shoes. Fitz could feel her before she got over to him.

Fitz smiled, _"I take it you are finally feel better."_

Olivia gasped. She thought he was sleep. Olivia smiled, _"Yes the doctor gave me a shot that finally got me over the hump. I heard that you have been busy on both of our behaves."_

Fitz nodded, _"Yep but that's life. As long as you are better than that is all that matters."_

Olivia went and sat in his lap. They held each other._ "Fitz"_

_"Your dad called you?"_

"_Yes"_

_"I can't give Mellie anymore power Olivia. I am disgusted and hurt that for selfish reasons she tried to kill me and instead killed our son. On top of that a man who I consider my friend wanted to win at all cost so he tried to kill me. It hurts, but I can't give them any power over my life. Our daughter's birthday is Sunday. We are about to celebrate our first Christmas as a family. Our wedding is in a couple of weeks. I want us to enjoy that. David is not announcing anything until we return so we don't have to answer any questions and we can enjoy our time. I think we should wait until we come back to tell Karen. She shouldn't have to deal with this right now."_

Olivia nodded, _"I agree with everything you said. I am done being sad. I just want them to get what is coming to them. When we get back I will handle it. Let's just enjoy everything and let the kids be kids."_

Fitz nodded. He brought Olivia to speed on everything that had taken place. She had some contacts who may be able to get them more information. Olivia looked forward to meting the family, and allowing the daughter an opportunity to relax and have some fun. They decided to tell Karen about the family and that wanted her to meet the daughter since they were close in age.

Olivia stayed down in the Oval and worked with Fitz. They got back to the Residence around nine. Olivia sent Fitz to take a shower and relax. Marta had cooked dinner. She noticed that there were plates already made for them. She stopped by Teddy's room. He was already sleep, but she went and gave him a kiss. She missed him.

Teddy opened his eyes, _"Love you mommy"_

Olivia smiled, _"Love you too sweetie."_

He turned over and went right back to sleep. She next went to Karen's room. She was finishing a paper when Olivia came in. Olivia kissed her forehead. They went over the paper and made some small changes. Karen had really gotten good at writing. Olivia told her about the family. Karen was excited to meet Candace. Olivia told her that the press would not be involved. Karen wanted to know what they were doing for her birthday. Olivia told her they were going to have fun, and that was the only thing she would tell her.

Olivia left the room. She was excited for Karen. She had never had a birthday where it was meant to celebrate her birthday. No cameras just teens being teens. Kimberly had helped her a lot when it came to getting a hold of Karen's friends. Her phone also helped.

Olivia stopped by the kitchen and warmed up their dinner. She took their plates in the room. Neither wanted alcohol and settled for bottled water. Once they were done she took the plates back to the kitchen. She came back in the room and Fitz was out. He needed to sleep. Olivia went and took a shower and then climbed in the bed.

Thursday was hectic for Olivia. She had meetings lined up all morning. That afternoon she & Teddy spent at Blair House. She personally wanted to make sure that everything was set up. She confirmed the menu. She made sure that cribs were there for Ciara & David's children. She made sure that there were plenty of kid friendly snacks and that they had made sure that there was areas where the children could be children. The staff had selected the china for their dinner.

Erin had stopped by and brought Karen's clothes for the weekend. She had received a call from the same spa that she and Karen had visited and they were all set for tomorrow as well as Saturday.

Just as Teddy was waking up from his nap Jack came in and told her that some of the guest were arriving.

Olivia & Teddy went out and greeted Ciara, LaLa, Kiyan, and Little Future. Secret Service helped them in and put their bags up. Olivia had paid for Ciara's team to stay at the Hay Adams.

Teddy & Kiyan were in their own world. Olivia spent time talking with the ladies. Ciara was thinking her best friend was right. When you talked with Olivia you forget how much power this woman has. It was so informal.

A little while later David & his crew arrived. Olivia made the same arrangements for his team. Olivia had a playpen set up for the babies. They were in there having their own baby talk. It was cute to watch.

David asked, _"Do you plan on having any of your own?"_

Olivia nodded, _"Yes that is the plan. Ciara over here may get credit for the expansion of our family."_

Ciara laughed, _"No way."_

Fitz came around the corner, _"Yes way and I want to be the first to thank you. I will make sure that you can reach me personally because I owe you."_

Olivia went over and hugged him and gave him a kiss. She formally introduced him to everyone. He had of course met David but not his family. Fitz insisted in private that they call him Fitz. This weekend was not about being President it was about their family and giving their daughter something she deserved and would never forget.

Fitz asked Ciara if she had any other freak um videos which caused Olivia to blush. Ciara laughed and said that was probably the most sexiest video she ever done. She was more of a tomboy and it wasn't until later in career that she embraced that side of her.

They talked a little more and Tom came in and informed her that Karen was home. She excused herself. Tom took her over to the Residence and she spent a little time with Karen. She told her that they had a dinner that night and that she was going to Nicole's house for the night so that she didn't have to be here alone. Karen was fine with that. After she got her stuff together she took Karen down to Nicole's office. They only had a half day tomorrow and Olivia had cleared her schedule so she told her she would see her as soon as she got home.

When Olivia left to go see Karen Fitz could tell they were shocked. For some reason he wanted to brag about her.

Fitz said, _"She tries to greet the kids when they get home each day We try to eat dinner with them at night and leave the weekend open to spend with them. She is powerful and she can bring anyone to their knees including me, but her family and friends are first. She is my everything and there is not a single thing I wouldn't do for her or our kids."_

Olivia heard him,_ "Ditto"_

They all turned around to see her at the door. _"What he didn't tell you is that if he hadn't fought for me that we wouldn't even be sitting at this table. My career was as big as it looked and sounded. My personal life didn't exist. This is a man who loved me when I didn't love myself. When I was in a coma it was his voice that allowed me to hold on. Through each setback including this week he is always there so I cherish what I have now. I have never thought I was better than anyone, and me being First Lady doesn't change anything other than giving me a louder voice to make a difference."_

They were in awe of the couple. Often times what you see on TV is not always real. Ciara, La La, and David knew that first hand. What you saw on TV was real. They were a humble and happy couple who had power.

They moved their conversation to the dining room. Olivia had set up a nice dinner for them. The staff made kid friendly meals for Teddy & Kiyan. They talked about the weekend. Once desert was finished Fitz & Olivia got ready to leave. They told them that the staff would take care of their needs. Olivia told them she would stop by tomorrow morning.

Fitz, Olivia & Teddy made it back to the Residence. Olivia helped Teddy with his bath and then they did their reading. Once he was sleep she went down the hall to see Marta. Olivia had come to treasure the time they spend together. Marta was at her vanity brushing her hair. Olivia went over and finished for her. She kissed Marta on the cheek.

Marta asked, _"How was dinner?"_

Olivia smiled,_ "It was fun and relaxing. Nice to be at a dinner where we did not have to cater to world leaders and talk about things that don't really matter."_

Marta laughed, _"I know but you guys do it so well. Are you excited about the weekend?"_

_"I am. I know I spent too much, but I feel like I need to give her this. I know I spent a lot of money, but she will never forget it. I need her to know that this mom only cares about her happiness not a damn photo-op."_

_"I know kiddo. While you spent money I don't disagree with you. Karen is not a brat. She doesn't make demands. Part of being wealthy is that you have the money to do nice and sometimes big things. There is nothing wrong with that because just as quickly as you spend a small fortune on your family you turn around and spend a small fortune giving back."_

_"Thanks Ma. I love you."_

_"I love you too. I am proud of you. I am proud of the woman you are. When your dad told me what he had done I told him that you were a better woman than me. I'm not sure I could compartmentalized all the pain he caused and move on. I am sure I would have got there just not so fast. To see you today is strength and courage. I know that there were some battles but you won."_

"_Thank you. Despite all that he did he raised no fool. Many of those tough lessons helped me survive. Did he tell you about Mellie?"_

_"He did and I am sorry. Are you going to tell Karen soon?"_

_"Not until we come back. This is such a magical time for them. Mellie is not ruining that."_

_"I think it is the right call. Are you excited about the wedding?"_

"_I am. I was never the girl who wanted the fairytale wedding, but when you get to marry your Prince Charming it changes things."_

_"I agree. Go spend sometime with him. Starting tomorrow at four this house will be chaotic."_

Olivia agreed. She headed to their bedroom. Fitz was reading on his I-pad. He had on his glasses and it made him look so sexy.

He smiled at her. _"I take it you were spending time with Ma since I know Teddy didn't take that long to knock out with the busy day you guys had."_

Olivia nodded_, "Yeah being in bed with the migraine threw things off. I feel like I haven't seen her in forever. We talked about Karen's party and the wedding."_

_"Is everything set?"_

_"Yes for Karen's party and as far as our wedding as far as I know everything is going well. I plan on checking in with David before he leaves, but I want him to concentrate on Karen this weekend."_

Fitz nodded,_ "Sounds good. Grab you a shower. News will be on soon."_

Olivia took a shower and threw on a chemise. She pulled her hair up. She went and climbed in the bed and they watched the news.

Olivia's body missed Fitz. She could tell that he felt the same way. No words were needed. They made love until early morning.

Fitz slipped out of bed without waking Olivia. Since Karen was not here she had no reason to get up early. Fitz went and got Teddy and helped him get dressed. Olivia needed to be able to focus on Karen. Fitz had a light day so he could actually spend time with Teddy and him not just there with him.

Olivia woke up. There was a note with a rose on top. Fitz told her that he wanted her to rest. She had a busy weekend ahead of her. He had Teddy and they were doing dude things.

Olivia went and did her morning routine. She dressed comfortably. She had on her True Religion jeans, long-sleeved t-shirt, and boots. She made herself a light breakfast. She went down to her office for a minute. She checked in with Nicole who confirmed the room was being set up by David right now.

Olivia went over to see Ciara & La La for a minute. She wanted to make sure they were okay. She played with the baby for a few. Ciara let her know they were going to a local studio that they booked for practice. Olivia told them that if they wanted dinner to let the staff know.

Olivia left and went back over to check on the room. Olivia walked in and love it. Olivia had invited Karen's closest friends. It was ten of them total. Today there were going to have a spa/makeover party. All of the girls would be getting manicure & pedicures. A team was coming over to doing their hair and some light make-up and they would end the night with a professional photo session. Olivia had spoken to each of the parents personally to make sure they were okay with the make-up. It wasn't going to be heavy but enough so they would look good for the camera.

As favors Olivia had tumblers made with their names on it. Each girl also got a spa set to have as a keep sake. The girls would all be staying over so they would be having pizza and sodas for dinner. They would complete the night by watching Annie in the theater.

Olivia loved the set up. Their was a backdrop that said Karen's Day. The room had pink and blue lighting. They had hired a D.J. for tonight and tomorrow. Olivia loved it all.

Olivia went back over to the Residence and shortly after she got in Jason came in with Karen. It looked like they had something for her at school. She had a couple of gifts in her hands. Olivia helped them with everything.

Olivia smiled, _"So it looks like you had a good day."_

Karen smiled, _"It was cool. In boarding school my friends didn't treat me like this. I guess it was partly my fault since I kept to myself."_

Olivia nodded, _"Well those times are over. Tell me about your day."_

Karen had told her about the small get together. They had cake and ice cream. She showed her the gifts that she got. I asked some of my friends about getting together later since I know that we spend the weekend together, but they all had plans. Olivia told her that she was sure they would get together at some point.

Olivia called down and ordered them some lunch. Karen asked where Teddy and dad was. Olivia laughed and told her they were having a "**_Dude Day_**" Karen laughed at the term that her dad used. Lunch came and they sat down and ate. David had sent her an email that showed her what the arrangements would more than likely look like for the wedding. They looked at those and then they got to talking about their trip. Karen still could not believe they were going. She had thanked Olivia so many times.

Olivia's phone rang. She answered and Jason let her know that the limo she rented had picked up all of the girls. They were headed up now. Olivia thanked him and ended the call.

Shortly after the call ended there was a knock on the door. Olivia asked Karen to answer it for her. Karen went to the door and when she opened her friends were there yelling surprise.

Karen just stood there. What was going on? Olivia came around the corner to see Karen just staring at her friends.

Olivia pulled Karen aside and invited the girls in. Karen noticed they all had bags like they were staying.

Olivia looked at Karen, "_Your friends were busy because they are spending the night with you. I have a surprise planned for you."_

Olivia took Karen's hand and led her to the room that was set up for tonight's party. David was waiting for them. When Karen seen David she knew whatever was behind that door was cool.

David took Karen's other hand and opened the door. Inside was a teen spa party. The D.J. was playing music. A spa area had been set up for them to do their manicures and pedicures.

David then showed her the make-up stations. He explained that her mom had set up for them to do a photo shoot. She would take some pictures alone and then she would take some with her friends. Olivia promised the girls they would get copies of the group session.

There were snacks and drinks there for the girls. At each station was a tumbler with the girls names on it so. Their spa gift set was also there with the tumbler.

Olivia also told Karen what their evening would consist of. Karen was stoked. This was better than she could have dreamed of.

Karen went over to her mom and hugged her,_ "Thank you for this mom. Thank you for giving me a party that I would want. I'll never forget this."_

Olivia nodded. She took the girls back up long enough to put their things up. They grabbed their cell phones so they could take pictures and text, and went back down and got started. Olivia checked in on the girls periodically. Sabrina & Sheila who were now Karen's primary agents kept an eye on them although nothing was happening but the girls talking with each other.

Tom had two friends Sabrina & Sheila that he had recommend to be added to Karen's detail recently. Not only were they woman, but they were young women who could grow with Karen. Fitz & Olivia had no problem with it. Jason & Elgin thought they had done something wrong. They assured them they had not. They would stay on their detail. With Olivia officially about to become First Lady Tom wanted to assure that the family was secure. Tom would split time between the President and the First Lady. Elgin & Jason would be her primary. Stephen & Mitchell would be Teddy's primary. Tom & Jack would be Fitz's primary.

It was time for the photo shoot. Olivia had requested all of the girls wear something purple or pink. Erin had sent Karen some dresses to choose from. Karen selected her dress. The girls changed and went and enjoyed their photo shoot. The photographer showed them some of the shots. They were having a ball.

Olivia came back down to take the girls to their next room. David told her that he would take care of cleaning up the room and getting things put away. Olivia took the girls to the room that she had set up for them to sleep in. Olivia had purchased them all sleeping bags and had their names engraved. She also bought them all matching pajamas to wear. She knew that the girls would be taking more pictures and she thought it was cute.

Marta and Nicole came down to help Olivia split the girls up so they could shower and change. While they were doing that Fitz & Tom had ordered the pizza and sodas. By the time they came back all the girls were finished. Olivia had already set up a table and decorated it for the food and drinks. She had purchased other snacks for them to have. Olivia left the girls to eat and talk. Olivia went back to the Residence and sat down and had dinner with Fitz & Teddy. He had asked if he was allowed to have some pizza even though it wasn't his birthday. It was cute. Fitz had ordered one for them to enjoy.

A little bit later Fitz took Teddy to get him ready for bed. Olivia went down where the girls were to check on them. They were having a blast. They were being 13-year-old girls, and that is all that she wanted for her daughter.

Olivia told them that she had one last surprise for them. She took them to the theater where snacks were already waiting. She told them that they would be watching the new "Annie with Jamie Foxx. The girls were elated. They didn't know that the White House had that kind of access.

As Olivia was leaving out the room Karen came running to her. She hugged her and she didn't say anything for a minute. She finally looked up at Olivia.

Karen said, _"Thank you mom from the bottom of my heart. This has been one of the best times of my life. I love you and I want you to know that I appreciate everything that you did tonight. There can never be a better mom that you."_

Olivia nodded, _"I love you too. You guys enjoy the movie."_

Karen went back to her seat. Kimberly was sitting right beside her.

Kimberly said, _"I'm happy for you. Even though we may not have had a lot of money I was at least given a mom that loved me and would do anything for me. I know that you didn't have that early in life, but you have it now. Auntie Liv is great."_

Karen nodded. The other girls were talking about how great her mom was. How nice she was? Karen found out that this was not planned last-minute that her mom had been working on her birthday for some time.

Olivia went up their room. She was exhausted, but it was worth it to see her daughter's face tonight. Fitz was in the room. He had handled Teddy tonight. As soon as she came in the room Fitz got up. He told her that he had fixed her a bath, and there was a glass of wine waiting on her.

Olivia kissed him and headed to their bathroom. She did not realize how tired she was until she hit the water. She didn't realize it but she had dozed off in the water.

Fitz had went down to check on the girls. The movie was finishing. He made sure that the girls didn't need anything before he went to bed. He checked with them to see if they had any food allergies since he was fixing breakfast in the morning. No one had any. He went back to the room and noticed it was too quiet in the bathroom. He opened the door to see the wine untouched and Olivia asleep.

He kneeled down and began to bathe her. She woke up and began to apologize. Fitz told her it was okay. The girls were fine. He finished with her bath and lifted her out. He dried her and put lotion on for her. He grabbed her a pair of panties and his Navy t-shirt and got her in bed. She was out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Fitz got up around eight and began breakfast. Teddy came out the room and wanted to help so Teddy was mixing the batter. Olivia came out and kissed them and said good morning. She offered to help. Fitz told her no. She would be busy all afternoon. She was relaxing this morning.

Marta came in the kitchen and said good morning to everyone. She washed her hands and began to help Fitz. Nicole had already arrived so she was with the girls making sure they didn't get lost.

After breakfast the girls hung out for a little bit. Olivia told Karen that she promised their parents they would be home at a certain time. The girls got dressed and to the limo. What Karen didn't know was that she was just taking them to Blair House until it was time for the party to start.

Olivia made sure they had movies and games over to keep them busy. They also had their cell phones and I-pads.

Olivia went back over to the rooms that were being used for Karen's surprise party. David was hard at work. They were finishing the stage where Ciara would perform on. David had spoken with Ciara ahead of time to find out what she needed. She had approved the design. In front of the stage a dance floor had been put down that had a monogram on it. It said, "Karen's B-Day.

The theme of the party was a teen carnival. They had a photo booth for the kids to take pictures in. They had several stations set up for them to play games. Olivia insisted that the kids have carnival food so there was hot dogs, burgers, fries, popcorn, cotton candy, nachos, candy apples, and more.

There was a candy station set up and monogrammed bags for them to fill with candy. There was a desert table that had Oreo pops, cookies, cupcakes, and individual pies. In the center was Karen's birthday cake. It was a four-tier cake that the layers were alternated in purple and pink. 13 was on top of the came surrounded by flowers. The cake was buttercream. She had gotten the cupcakes in different flavors.

The drinks were in mason jars with the monogram on it so they could keep them. They didn't set up large tables, but David had created two lounge areas. One was the purple lounge and the other was pink lounge. There were tables in front of the sofas. The lighting was going up and would change throughout the night. There was also lighting that was specifically for the mini-concert.

Everything was coming together. There was a total of 75 invites sent out. 55 RSVP came back. Olivia however planned for all 75 to show up. A couple of parents asked about coming and Olivia was fine with it. Fitz had brought on extra SSA for the night. Olivia told the kitchen she rather have too much than not enough. Whatever was left they would make sure it was not wasted. She asked the staff to dress down. These were kids. There was no need for them to be walking around in suits.

Fitz called Olivia and asked if she had a moment to come down to the Oval office. Olivia excused herself and made it over to him.

Olivia walked in and realized that the Lewis family had arrived. She offered her condolences, but let the family know that she was happy to meet them. She offered to take Candace to meet Karen. She reminded her that Karen was not aware of the surprise.

Olivia found Karen in her room getting her hair and make-up done for what she thought was a family dinner. Karen introduced herself and told Olivia that if Candace wanted she could hang with her for a while. Candace accepted the offer. Olivia went back and let her parents know that she had stayed back with Karen.

Rowan & Marta were hanging out with Teddy & Courtney for the night. They offered for Kiyan to join Teddy and La La accepted. She had brought him over already and the kids were off with them.

Fitz told Olivia to go ahead and get ready. She would keep an eye on things. They had about 90 minutes before guest would start arriving. They had arranged for them to enter and exit through one entrance. They had SSA on guard so that the kids remained in the area where the party was being held.

Two hours later Fitz came in the room to tell her that everything was in full swing. It looked to be 50-60 teenagers. Olivia went to Karen's room where she and Candace were talking. Olivia told Karen that Candace had to leave. Tom escorted Candace down to the party. While he was down there he let David know that he needed to get them together to surprise Karen. Tom went back up and nodded to Fitz & Olivia. They had told Karen that the rest of the family would meet them.

They blindfolded Karen and told her they had a surprise before they left. They got her down to the room. David was waiting for them. He opened up the door and Fitz & Olivia were on each side of Karen. They got her to the middle of the room. A light was moved to shine on them. Olivia took the blindfold off and everyone yelled. **"SURPRISE"**

Karen jumped. She looked around and it was her classmates, her soccer team, some friends she made since she began playing soccer. She looked around and it was a cool carnival set up. She looked down to see her name on the dance floor. She had never seen anything so cool in her life. She looked over to see Candace.

She hugged her parents and thanked them. They let her go mingle. Karen went over and grabbed Candace and introduced her to people. Everyone was having a good time. The D.J. kept the kids dancing. No one really sat for long. Enough to eat something or rest their feet. They were all taking selfies with each other. They found the photo booth and were all enjoying that. Karen noticed that she had a gift table and it was full of gifts.

Karen thought that the night could not get any better. All of a sudden the lights changed. The D.J. stopped.

Karen heard someone say,_ "So I hear that it is someone's birthday. Tonight is the First Daughter's Birthday. I think we got her good."_

Olivia had not included that Ciara was performing. Somebody would have let that out the bag. Also she wanted people who really were in Karen's life to be at the party and not come because of Ciara. This wasn't a free concert.

Karen kept looking. The voice sounded like Ciara. Everyone was looking at Karen because they were just as intrigued. The music came on for "Got Me Good" by Ciara. The lights went out and the only thing lite was the stage. Ciara was singing behind the curtain. The lighting changed again where the dance floor was now the only thing that was lite. They had moved Karen so that she was right in front of the stage. The lighting change again and when the lighting came on the stage there in the flesh was Ciara.

Karen had this look on her face. It was the face of is this real. The screams from her friends told her it was.

Ciara laughed and said as she was singing, _"Yeah Yeah we got you good."_

It was the beginning of a 90 minute performance. The kids were having a ball. Karen was on cloud nine and it was going to take her a minute to come down.

It came down to the last song. Ciara called Karen on stage.

Ciara said, _"So I saved my last song of the night for you. I was told that this is your favorite. You listen to it at least once before each game. I want you to know that you have a really cool mom. I have performed for several large private parties and they are usually businesses. This by far has been my favorite. You are one lucky girl. This is one of my favorite songs but after meeting your mom the great Olivia Pope she makes being a girl super cool."_

Everyone cheered. Olivia blushed and buried her face in Fitz's chest. The music to "Like A Boy" started. Karen stayed on stage while Ciara performed. They danced together and when it was over Karen left the stage with Ciara.

They had set up a room for Ciara so that is where Fitz & Olivia found them. Ciara had brought Karen several gifts that she had personally signed. They took pictures with each of their phones. Olivia also took a couple. Ciara introduced the President and soon to be First Lady to her mom who had come down since they were close. Ciara introduced Karen to LaLa.

Karen thanked Ciara again for coming. She was taken back to her party. Fitz & Olivia thanked Ciara again for coming. Fitz handed her a check.

Ciara shook her head, _"Mr. President Olivia has already paid me and she actually paid me more since I usually don't do small private parties."_

Fitz nodded,_ "She told me. However I can't thank you enough. My daughter has been through more than any child or adult should see. My fiancée has been the only mother figure that she's had. She bent over backwards and worked to give her something that my ex never allowed. She was able to be a child tonight. No cameras. Just lots of fun. You catered to our requests. We may have conceived our own little one listening to your music. I know that little man is your pride and joy. That is why the check is in your son's name for $20,000. Interest will help it grow. Don't make the same mistakes I made. Keep him first no matter what."_

Ciara thanked them both. She wished them well and congratulated them on the nuptials that were coming up. They promised to keep in touch.

Fitz & Olivia went back to the party. David had taken Karen over to cut the cake. The lights were on the desert and candy bar. The D.J. was back. The kids began to leave after a couple more hours of partying. The staff and vendor began to break everything down. Jack & Elgin had brought two carts down and got all of Karen's gifts. Olivia & Nicole fixed bags for the little ones. She also had a couple of desert trays taken up to the Residence.

Olivia told the kitchen staff to take as much as they wanted home for them and their families. Mrs. Lewis stopped by and picked up Candace. She thanked them again for allowing her to attend the party. The girls exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch. Karen told Candace about losing her brother so she could relate.

Fitz had sent Olivia up to get off her feet. He didn't want to bring on a migraine. Fitz stayed until everyone left. Karen came over and thanked him. Fitz told her she was welcome, but really her mom had plan and done everything so he couldn't really take the credit.

Karen went up to the Residence and went to her parent's room. Olivia had not closed the door. Olivia was laying across the bed with her eyes closed. Her clothes and shoes still on.

Karen went over and began to unzip her boots. Olivia thought it was Fitz.

_"Fitz, honey you don't have to take them off. Give me a minute I'm getting up. The day is just catching up to me."_

Fitz was laughing because Olivia thought it him. Karen took the boot off and went for the other. Olivia opened her eyes and seen Fitz at the door and looked down and it was Karen.

_"Hi mom"_

_"Hi sweetie"_

_"Thank you for everything. I feel like thank you is not enough, but it is the best I can come up with. I want you to know that I don't take it for granted that you are my mom and you are there for me. I almost can't remember the bad times anymore. I love you and I thank you for every sacrifice that you make for me. My friends all kept telling me how lucky I am to have this cool, loving mom. They are right. Tonight was everything"_

_"You are welcome honey. I am glad that you enjoyed yourself. Tomorrow we are going to lay around_ _on your actual birthday. The staff will make your favorites for dinner. We will have an ice cream cake for dessert."_

_"That is fine mom. Rest tomorrow please"_

Olivia nodded.

It was a low-key Sunday. Everyone slept in and stayed in comfy clothes all day. They had dinner and cake and watched Karen open up all her gifts. Olivia watched her thinking mission accomplished. Now all the focus would be on their upcoming wedding.

**A/N-I had gotten questions about them killing Jake and I had to the person who sent me the message that I never said Jake was dead. I was clear that Olivia left that up to her dad and Huck. Someone asked me how Jerry died. I was specifically vague until now because of the twist that I always planned. How do you think Olivia plans on handling this once they return? Last chance to guess where they are traveling for Christmas and their wedding**


	27. Christmas with the Grants

**A/N-Happy Holidays to everyone. I hope that you have enjoyed your time with your family and friends. Sorry for the day computer issues. As a treat I posted at least one chapter to all of my stories.**

It was full steam ahead in the Grant household. There was so much to accomplish in so little time. Olivia & Nicole were talking to someone daily making final arrangement for their trip. Olivia was a nervous wreck. She was trying to make sure that everything had been arranged for Christmas for the kids. She was talking with David daily. David assured her that everything was good. He had made contact with the vendors. They had shipped some items over ahead of the trip and confirmed that his friend who was wedding planner in the area had the items.

Olivia had decided that it wouldn't look good if they didn't participate as a family with the Christmas festivities that she had assisted in planning for the White House. While she would not officially be First Lady for a couple more weeks in the eyes of the public she was already First Lady. Her approval rating continued to climb as word got out about how personable she was with everyone. Several big names including Melinda Gates had spoken about the new First Lady.

As it got closer to their wedding it seemed their were more articles and news clips about her. They had taken her life apart. Lucky for Olivia that she had no secrets other than the affair with Fitz so no harm was done.

The Washington Post had spoken with several high-profile African-American women including Judy Smith, Shonda Rhimes,Oprah Winfrey, and Beyoncé on their thoughts of Olivia Pope. They all spoke highly of her. The common statement that kept coming up was that the administration seem more in tune with the American people.

Along with the media profiling Olivia they profiled Fitz. They compared his Presidency when he was married to Mellie and now with Olivia. It was clear he was not the same man. CNN ran a segment looking back on his first term. Fitz barely had support across the aisle for anything. Since Olivia came in the picture they stated that the President was more approachable. He listened to both sides. There were times where he clearly sided with the Democrats. They had spoken with Senators and House of Representatives that stated they felt that the country would see a lot of positive changes with Olivia as First Lady. They had a President who was fully engaged. His approval ratings were at a all-time high of 85%. Olivia was at 90%.

Karen had come in the room the other day to show them that they were now considered one of the sexist couples in America. Karen was a little grossed out. These were her parents.

The White House had planned several activities that they were participating in before they left. Olivia made sure that they included some Hanukkah events as well.

The family went to a homeless shelter and served dinner. The cameras followed them around as they talked with the families. Once the cameras left Fitz & Olivia presented each person with a $500.00 gift card at Wal-Mart. They asked the shelter to not share that they gave them a gift. They didn't want the attention. They just wanted to help.

Olivia along with the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation adopted ten low-income schools across the United States. Olivia held a press conference to announce the schools that they selected. Each school selected who be receiving computers and tablets for their school. They would be putting new curriculum in place. New programs would be implemented to provide these children with a chance to grow. For the holidays each school had received clothing, food, and gifts so that these children would have a good holiday. Olivia would be traveling to each school once she returned.

Olivia became a super star over night. Between those two events there were very few people who did not love Olivia Pope. If you didn't like her you didn't say it out loud.

Olivia visited two local low-income elementary schools with Karen & Teddy and read to the kids. They gave each child a goody bag before they left. Olivia took pictures with the administration, teachers, and the children. Each school talked about how down to earth she was. The kids were respectful and seem to truly enjoy being there helping their mom.

The family enjoyed the Christmas tree lighting. They were all dressed in either red or black. The fashion world could not get enough of Olivia Pope. They gushed over her wardrobe. The consensus was that she didn't have a bad outfit in her closet. For the tree lighting ceremony she wore a red Monique Lhuiller Floral-Lace & Gazar Fit-and-Flare dress. It was the first official picture the public had of them together as a family.

#FirstNewFamily was the number one trending topic. Someone on their staff posted the picture on the official White House twitter account. It caused Twitter to temporarily shut down. You could clearly see that they were a happy family. Everyone commented how relaxed President Grant looked with Olivia by his side. Everyone enjoyed seeing the President with his kids which they didn't see in the first term. The kids looked comfortable and genuinely happy.

Their last event was the "Christmas in Washington" celebration. Fitz called his good friend Tom Hanks and asked if he and his wife Rita would host the event. They accepted. There were performances by Sam Smith, Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, and One Direction. Olivia wore a black Monique Lhuiller Long-Sleeve Gown with Bateau Neckline.

The night was filled with good times. They invited kids from the schools that Olivia visited. They took pictures with them. They talked with the parents. The kids sang to them. Olivia recorded it, and posted it to her twitter account. Olivia was a class act. She was the woman beside a great man. Their love radiated throughout the room. Everyone continued to comment on how the White House no longer seemed stuffy.

Fitz worked with the hill to get funding for Ebola. They had put measures in place to try to get a handle of ISIS. He got through all the briefs. He met with his staff and made sure that all important documents had been signed. He had taken care of everything. He planned on this being a vacation. He knew that he was on call all the time, but he wanted to really enjoy their time together.

The Friday before they left they had an Office Party. Olivia had the food catered in so the kitchen staff could enjoy themselves. They gave every member of their staff a $500.00 gift card to Wal-Mart and any staff member that had a child they gave them a $100.00 gift card to Toys R Us for each child they had. The couple was dressed down in jeans. They thanked them for their hard work, and let them know that they appreciated them.

Olivia spent the evening going through her checklist. She had to make sure that nothing was left behind.

The day had arrived for them to begin their Christmas vacation, and the countdown was on till they were officially married.

Everyone was a ball of energy. Everyone was excited. They decided to pack the vehicles last night to save time. All the SSA and Fitz took care of that. They were all up five the Saturday before Christmas preparing to leave. They were schedule to depart at eight for the ten-hour flight.

Fitz, Olivia, Karen, Teddy, Marta, Rowan, and the two dogs were the first to arrive. They got them settled. Nicole, Kimberly, and Courtney were right behind them. Abby, Harrison, Quinn, and Huck were on their heels. Cyrus and Ella came on. Lauren was at the end. They brought their SSA details, but Fitz had 24 more assigned for two reasons. He intended for everyone to be able to have some down time and enjoy themselves especially their primary detail. Also they wanted the additional help on hand for the wedding.

Everyone aboard was excited, but Karen was over the moon. She had barely slept the night before. Olivia had never seen her so excited. It made her happy that this trip meant that much to her.

Everyone got settled and they took off. Once they were able to move around Olivia went over to Karen who had her I-pad and was reading things to do there.

Olivia smiled, _"How is the research going?"_

Karen jumped. She didn't see her mom. _"Sorry mom I was just looking at family activities that we can do together. I was also reading the history of the country."_

Olivia nodded,_ "I'm really glad we made this come true for you."_

Karen looked at her mom and smiled_. "Happy doesn't seem to convey enough about how I feel. I never thought I would get to be the typical teenager. I love the balance we have now. It's not that I didn't understand what being a politician's daughter meant. I just didn't want to be that all the time."_

Olivia shook her head_, "We get it sweetie. Your dad and I will continue to make sure that you have that balance. Show me what you found for us to do."_

Karen smiled and made room for Olivia. They spent the next hour or so looking at activities that the family do. Karen began to yawn. Olivia knew that she hadn't slept much from the excitement of the trip. Olivia brought a throw and pillow over so she could take a nap.

Once Olivia got Karen situated she realized that she was tired as well. Teddy was hanging out with Papa and Nana. She decided that she would go and lay down. She didn't see Fitz. She thought he might be in the office. She headed to their bedroom. When she opened the door she found him laying across the bed.

Olivia smiled. This is what she loved the most. It was not him as President. It was this. Fitz being a normal guy. He looked at peace and happy. She remembered his face was not always this serene. Pain used to always be etched on. Whether it was his dad, or Mellie, or Cyrus, or even her it showed a man who was not happy. She was glad those days were over.

Olivia took her jeans off. She kept her t-shirt on and climbed on the bed.

Fitz said, "_I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to join me."_

Olivia jumped because she didn't realize FItz knew she was in the room.

Olivia laughed,_ "I like being creepy every now and then too. It's relaxing to watch you sleep especially when you are happy."_

_"It is easy to sleep these days. Our administration is finally shaping up to be what we dreamed. Our kids are truly happy with life. We have great family and friends. Most importantly my dream is about to come true. You are about to become my wife and my First Lady. Life can't get any better. Well it could when we finally get you knocked up."_

Olivia whispered, _"It will happen. Trust me"_

"_I do Livvie. I have always trusted you."_

_"Ditto. Let's catch a nap."_

Fitz & Olivia were able to get a couple of hours of sleep. They got up and after getting dressed joined everyone. They all enjoyed a light meal and talked about things they wanted to do on the trip.

They had finally arrived to their destination. Karen looked out the window and the glee in her eyes said it all.

Karen looked at her parents, _"We are here. We are finally in Brazil"_

It was an exciting time. Everyone was relaxed and happy. It was clear that this was going to be a good time for all.

There were a fleet of vehicles waiting for them. The drivers as well as the SSAs helped to load up all of their luggage. They were headed to a luxury condominium home that Olivia found for them to rent.

When they pulled up everyone was thrilled with what they saw. Olivia had paid spoken with the owner, and she had gladly allowed the staff to decorate the home for the family. Olivia told the owner she would pay them. The owner tried to say that it was no bother. Olivia knew it was because their were the First Family of the United States. Olivia refused to take advantage of that, but she did thank the owner for being so accommodating.

There was a Santa in a sleigh on the lawn. They had put lights on the trees outside and around the outside of the home. Inside of the home they found a 15 foot Christmas tree. Per Olivia's request they had only put lights on the tree. Olivia wanted the kids to decorate the tree. She had purchased decorations. Fitz also brought the children's ornaments that they had collected over the years. Kimberly & Courtney didn't know, but Olivia had made sure that Nicole brought theirs. Olivia had also purchased them an engraved ornament that she had gotten Karen, Teddy, and Gerry.

Underneath the tree were a ton of gifts. They had most of the gifts shipped down ahead of time for two reasons. One they wanted Christmas to feel like Christmas even though they were on this exotic vacation. Two it made packing a little easier on them.

Their were poinsettia around the house. The inside of the house had been decorated as well. Everyone's eyes lit up including Fitz. She had told no one of her conversations with the owner. She wanted to surprise them. It seemed to work.

The home itself was beautiful. The house was in Angra Dos Reis. It was twelve bedrooms and eleven and a half baths. The house was located on the seafront. It included a pool, private beach, and sauna. She made sure thy had a large kitchen so they could cook sometimes. The owner's private chef was available to them at anytime.

The kitchen had been fully stocked with everything that she requested and more. Everyone was suffering from jet lag so they decided to relax. Olivia made a lasagna and a salad for dinner. The kids changed into something more suitable for the hot weather in Brazil.

After dinner Olivia brought out the decorations. It was an exciting fun evening watching the kids decorate the Christmas tree. Teddy had never got to decorate a tree. Karen had been a toddler the last time she decorated one.

Olivia taped the tree being decorated. Love and happiness was in the air. It was something that they all could use.

Sunday they decided they wanted to go hiking so they went to Tijuca National Park. Everyone enjoyed being outside and enjoying nature. In addition to hiking they were able to enjoy wildlife-watching. That was Teddy's favorite. They also visited Christ the Redeemer while they were at the park. It was recognized as being one of the seven Wonders of the World. It was an educational experience for the kids.

They made it back to the house. After showering and changing clothes they decided they wanted to eat out. They knew that the kids wouldn't want a fancy meal so after looking up restaurants in the area they decided on Outback Steakhouse. They made a call and were able to get their party room reserved.

It was a fun evening out. Everyone was having a great time. It was nice not having to deal with cold weather. Everyone at the table was grateful that they were together.

After dinner and the kids got ready for bed they watched "**The Polar Express**" Olivia loved the movie. None of the kids had ever seen it so Olivia was excited that she could share something that she loved with them. The kids all loved the movie.

Teddy was in Olivia's lap, "_Mom can we watch that every Christmas?"_

Fitz was a little choked up watching the moment.

Olivia had to take a breath. _"How about every year we will decorate the Christmas tree together and watch "__**The Polar Express**__" to end the night. It will become one of the Grant's family tradition?"_

Teddy jumped down excited. He looked at Fitz to make sure he also agreed. He pulled Olivia in his arms, _"Buddy I think I would enjoy that tradition. What do you say?"_

Teddy yelled, "_Awesome. I have the coolest mom and dad ever"_

Everyone laughed. Fitz told Teddy it was time for bed. Teddy gave everyone hugs and kisses. When he got to his mom he hugged her tight. He looked Olivia in the eyes, _"Love you mommy. Thank you for loving me."_

Olivia looked him in the eyes_, "It is easy to love you Teddy Bear. Slept tight"_

Teddy ran up to his room. Everyone was making their way to their room to relax for the night.

Abby sat down beside Olivia, _"I want you to know that I am truly happy for you. I never knew this Olivia Pope existed. At first it was weird. Over time I realized this version of you is better. Seeing you truly happy and not having to fake it has been a pleasure to watch. I am sorry if I ever caused you any problems with Fitz."_

Olivia shook her head, _"Honestly Abby nobody caused more problems in our relationship than me. Despite Fitz being married to Mellie he was always clear and honest with me that I was the love of his life. He was clear that he would give it up for me over and over. He tried and I also sabotaged it. Sometimes I look around and wonder how we made it, because I wished for it but I never worked for it to happen. I know that it was because Fitz refused to stop loving me even when he was mad at me even when I didn't love myself."_

Abby nodded, _"I was wrong about him. I grouped him in the Republican bandwagon. If that wasn't enough of an insult I grouped him like his dad especially when you guys began your affair. Men like that don't put love before power. I realized it's not fair to group people in categories like that. I think being married to Charles made me bitter."_

Olivia looked at Abby,_ "I get it Abby. It is water under the bridge. I'm glad you are here. I love you and thank you for all that you have ever done. I'm not the same Olivia Pope, but to me it is a good thing. I know that I can handle being a crisis manager with my eyes closed. Now it is time for me to branch out."_

Abby got up, _"I love you too. I have no doubt that all your dreams will come true."_

Olivia made it to their bedroom. She heard Fitz in the shower so she went to join him. They had been so busy for the last couple of weeks that they barely had time to sleep let alone have sex.

They need each other. They enjoyed a couple of rounds of love-making in the shower. They were making up for lost time. They made it to the bed and continued to make love to the sound of the water in the back-ground.

They finally wore each other out, and it took no time for them to fall asleep. Olivia had never been more content than she was now. Life had not always been easy, but she was happy.

They had decided that for the next two days that they would do things just as a family of four. They wanted the kids to have their undivided attention. Karen had found some activities that she thought they would enjoy.

They started their day with the Sugar Loaf Mountain tour. It would take up most of their morning. They would get to view the city from a cable car that would take them to the top and allow them to see the city.

Karen was in heaven. Olivia had bought Karen her own digital camera for her birthday so that she would have it for the trip. It was money well spent. Karen had taken a lot of pictures and Olivia noticed that she was really good.

They had seen the city from up high and now they were going to see the city from the water. They took the Guanabara Bay Cruise with a Seafood lunch. All four of them enjoyed the cruise. The water was beautiful and they all loved being on the water. This was definitely turning out to be the trip of a life time.

When they got back to the house they decided to spend time on the beach. Olivia made them a picnic, and the four of them made their way to the private beach. They were having a blast. They played in the ocean. They built a sand castle. Fitz let the kids bury him. Olivia took lots of pictures.

They cleaned up and sat down to eat the food Olivia had packed for them.

Fitz looked at the kids, _"Guys are you having fun?"_

Karen laughed, _"Is that a trick question dad?"_

Fitz laughed,_ "No sweetheart. I just wanted to make sure that you kids are having fun. Your mom and I wanted to make sure this was a vacation for us. After Christmas your mom will have to focus on the wedding, but we wanted to try to spend quality time with you guys."_

Karen smiled, _"Dad I have been having the time of my life since we boarded Air Force One. The fact that mom made this trip happen has been everything, but to be here with family and get to spend time with just our family is something I will always remember."_

Fitz & Olivia smiled. Fitz turned to Teddy,_ "What about you buddy?"_

Teddy smiled, _"Yes. Lots of fun. Love being with you daddy, and mommy, and Kan Kan. Will Santa know that we are at a different home this year?"_

Olivia laughed, _"Yes buddy. Mommy made sure to send our location this year for you."_

Teddy smiled, _"Thank you mommy. Love you."_

Olivia kissed his cheek, _"Love you to baby."_

They finished their food and made it back to the house. They all took their shower and put some lounge clothes on. They checked in with everyone else to see what they did. They had promised the kids a day of shopping on Christmas Eve so they decided to head to bed. Fitz & Olivia read to Teddy after he read. They stopped by Karen's room to say goodnight.

When they got to the room and got in bed Fitz turned to Olivia.

Fitz said, _"Teddy is making leaps and bounds. He is reading now about his age. He has finally mastered those LEAP frog lessons for six and seven-year olds. He is not the same little boy. He is an almost five-year old-young man. You did that. I'm so happy. He is a happy little boy."_

Olivia looked Fitz in the eye. Her tone was serious as she spoke to him,_ "No we did that together. We are partners in this relationship. We are partners as parents. Sure I gave him those programs, but my dad did the same with me. He balanced education and fun when my mom was alive. I am doing the same thing, but you play a part in that. Your dude days mean a lot to him. When he dresses like dad that means the world to him. That some nights you read with him means the world to him. He needs us both. Don't downplay your role as the father and the man of our house."_

Fitz nodded,_ "I get it Livvie. I'm sorry. Sometimes I just get scared that this is a dream and that I am going to wake back up in hell. I won't survive if I ever have to live that way again."_

Olivia took Fitz's face in her hands, _"I promise you that we are never going back. We are moving forward as a couple, as a married couple in a week, and as a family. The only ones who can break us is us and I have no desire to see that happen."_

Fitz smiled_, "Ditto"_

They fell asleep in each other's arms. Christmas Eve had arrived. As promised Fitz & Olivia promised the kids that they would go shopping. The kids wanted to buy a couple more Christmas gifts, and they wanted to buy souvenirs. They spent most of the day in Rio De Janeiro shopping. They stopped for a quick-lunch and went back to shopping.

When they got back to the house they put everything up. The kids asked if they could have pizza for dinner. They checked with everyone and they were fine with pizza so Olivia went and placed the order.

Olivia had promised all the kids that they would bake Christmas Eve. They decided to allow the Chef and his team to prepare their Christmas dinner. The chef had given them a menu that he wanted to prepare that was a combination of American and Brazilian foods. The couple was fine with his menu. She however told him that she would handle the deserts.

After dinner Olivia, Abby, Marta, and the kids spent the evening in the kitchen preparing deserts for Christmas dinner and a snack to leave out for Santa.

Fitz was sitting outside looking at the water when he heard the door opened. Rowan came out on to the deck.

Fitz smiled, "_Hey dad'_

Rowan nodded and smiled at his son-in-law, _"Hey son. How are you?"_

"_Honestly I am great. I know we have the Mellie issue to deal with when we get back, but I really can't give her anymore of me. I have the kids to think about. I have my fiancée/wife to be concerned with."_

"_I understand son and I am glad that you feel that way. I am proud of you. Most men would have folded. I wanted you to fold. I wanted to break you and prove that you weren't worthy. I am glad that I had it all wrong. You gave me a life. A real one."_

"_Yeah you busted my balls, but I get it. She was your little girl. You went about it the wrong way, but I knew that you really did love her. It was why I could never really fought you. I really need you to know that she is my everything. She always was my everything. I never seen the color of her skin. I'm not dumb I know that Olivia has to work four times as hard as me to make it in this world. She is a black woman. Some people never get past that. I hope that we can put a small dent in the continuing cycles of racism; not only for my wife's sake but the sake of our children that they will be more that some mulatto babies."_

Rowan smiled. It warmed his heart to hear Fitz talk. _"I think that was always my biggest fear when I found out about the two of you. My gut told me it was more than a fling. One is Olivia doesn't love or like easily, but two is the word had always been that you were nothing like your father. I knew that Mellie was nothing more than an entitled brat that had been promised the world without having to work for anything. I was worried how you would treat Olivia. I raised her to be strong. There are a lot of things that I have come to love and respect about you, but the one things that stands out is that you have always allowed Olivia to shine. She gets to be the smart and brilliant person that she is."_

Fitz looked at Rowan and spoke in a business like tone,_ "Olivia Carolyn Pope-Grant will always be the most brilliant, smartest, and kind woman I know. She is smarter than me. Our kids will have her brains. While Teddy is not biologically hers she has tapped into that little boy and brought out someone who I didn't know was there. As long as I am alive she will either be beside me or in front of me, but never behind me."_

Rowan got up and hugged Fitz,_ "I know son. I know"_

They talked for a few more minutes before heading inside. They seen a table full of deserts that were out cooling. Huck let them know that the kids were wrapping gifts so Olivia and Nicole were helping them out. Marta was tired and headed to bed. Rowan said good-night to everyone and went to join Marta.

Fitz went to their room and took a shower and found some sweats and a t-shirt to wear they played Santa.

Once Olivia & Nicole finished with the kids they brought out their gifts and placed them under the tree. They then went and took a shower and put on some lounge clothes.

It was a little after midnight when they got started. It took them about two and a half hours to get everything put out and set up.

Nicole went over to Fitz & Olivia. She had tears in her eyes, _"I want you both to know that I love you. I love you not because of all of the monetary gifts that you have given me and my girls which we appreciate, but it is the love and kindness that you have shown. My girls have this family that loves her. Karen treats them like they are her sisters. She looks out for Courtney as much as Kim does. You gave me a job and you have allowed me to flourish. I get to learn new things and better myself. For the first time in a long time we are happy. I can never repair you. I just need you to know that I appreciate you both. I love you."_

They hugged Nicole and smiled. Fitz decided to speak, _"Olivia gets most of the credit. We are proud of you. You work hard. You don't take advantage of us. We need you as much as you need us. I know that between you and Lauren that you guys have our back. You hold us up. With Liv about to become First Lady it is what we need. Family is what you make it. I never had a loving one. Liv went a large amount of time without one. We just want a better future for ourselves and our family. You are family. We want you to succeed. Not just to make us look good, but for you to look in the mirror and be proud of yourself."_

Nicole nodded and thanked them again. They all headed to bed for a couple of hours. They were able to make it to 6:30, but the kids were in full played mode.

Teddy freaked out when he seen his new train set. He didn't see much else for a while. Santa had been good to the kids. They had got the youngest ones each a got a Kindle Fire to read his books, he got a new kid's laptop, and an Ipad. There were a lot of new trains to go with the set that Santa had left out. He got a couple new Lego sets to put together. Finally there were several new outfits and shoes.

Karen had asked Olivia if she could start wearing some make-up. After talking with they agreed to allow her to wear so light make up. They got her a make-up kit. A lip gloss kit. The new I-phone six in gold, the kindle fire HD, a Macbook, some jewelry, clothes, and shoes.

Kimberly & Courtney had a lot of things that were similar to Teddy & Karen. The adults exchanged their gifts. Fitz & Olivia decided to not exchange gits on Christmas. They each got the other something, but it was for their wedding.

Fitz & Olivia had given Marta & Rowan a 21 day European couples cruise all expenses paid. They handed Nicole a box and an envelope. She opened the envelope and there was a personal check for $10,000. The card thanked her for doing a wonderful job, and hoped that she enjoyed her Christmas bonus. In the box was a key. Kimberly came over with a video that she had on her cell phone. It was Olivia & Fitz and the four kids in front of a brand new Acura TL. The salesman described the luxury package that had been added to the car. Fitz handed the salesman and check, and he said I hope that Nicole enjoys her new car. The kids were singing Nicole got a new car, Nicole got a new car, and it is going to be great. Nicole looked at them with tears in her eyes. Fitz told her that the car was parked in the garage at home.

Nicole hugged and thanked them. The girls were telling her about the car since they got to see it. They continued to open gifts and enjoy spending time together. Fitz made them breakfast. They all sat down and enjoyed breakfast. They made the kids go shower and put some clothes on and then allowed them to come back down and play.

The family spent the day playing with the kids. Watching basketball and movies. The chef made them an excellent dinner and they enjoyed all the dishes that he prepared. Later on they stuffed themselves with desert and laid around. They took lots of pictures and knew that they would remember this day for years to come.

The day was finally coming to an end and everyone was wiped out. As Olivia was getting in bed it hit her that in seven days she would be married. That didn't scare her at all. She just hope that the wedding went off without too many problems.

As she lay there in thought she heard him.

Olivia turned and looked at Fitz. He smiled at her, _"The wedding will be fine. It is our day. It may not be perfect. Issues may arise. It is a wedding, but it is our day. As long as I get to read you my vow and put that ring on your finger and hear that you are officially mines I am okay_."

Olivia nodded and took in what he said, _"You are right."_

When she woke up tomorrow it was full steam ahead for the Grant Wedding...

**A/N-Sorry for the delay. Computer issues caused me not to be able to post. You finally know the destination for the wedding. Brazil will host the wedding in one week. I am hoping nothing comes up next week so that I can get everything posted on before New Years**


	28. President and First Lady

**A/N-This feels like it has been a long time coming but it is here. I hope that you enjoy. To the reader who said that realistically they could not get married out of the country I do realize that, but that is part of the fun of fan fiction. You can stretch and change things around to fit the story. Someone asked me why I chose Brazil. I can only say a dream of mine so I used it in the story.**

It felt like everything became a marathon since she woke up the day after Christmas. Christmas was over so everybody was in full wedding mode except the bride to be.

Olivia was still sluggish and had been since they arrived in Brazil. She had taken more naps than she ever had in her entire life.

Thankfully she really didn't have to personally do anything. David kept her up to speed via a phone call, stopping by or FaceTime.

Olivia tried to concentrate on doing something with the kids at least some part of every day leading up to the wedding. She didn't want them to think they were not important because of the wedding. For some reason her appetite would change. Some days she felt like she could eat the store and other days she had to force herself to eat something.

When she woke up Sunday she felt like a mac truck had hit her. Olivia insisted to everyone that she was fine, but Fitz had enough of that. He placed a call and discreetly had the doctor to come to their rental home to check Olivia out.

She finally agreed after looking at Fitz. He was concerned that the plane ride might have caused some type of imbalance. Olivia knew she could have continued to be stubborn, but that wasn't fair to Fitz. He had a genuine concern. She promised herself that she wouldn't discount his feelings like she had done in the past.

The White House had brought two doctors with them on the trip. They were the ones that were close to the couple so it was easy to make this a on-call but enjoy the vacation and wedding all in one.

The doctor took some blood and urine and told the couple they would get back with them in a few. They were going to a secure lab to run the test.

Luckily they had no plans to go out with the kids today. They wanted to lounge around the pool and the beach and relax. She thought a little bit of the decision had to do with her, but she took it.

Olivia didn't realize that she fell back asleep shortly after the doctor left. She woke up in time to see the doctor coming into their room.

Dr. Mariano came in the room. Fitz went over to sit beside Olivia. They were not sure how to take the look on the doctor's face.

Dr. Mariano looked at the couple, _"Well I have good news and I have great news. Which do you want first?"_

Olivia looked at Fitz and shrugged her shoulders, _"Let's go in order. We'll take the good news and then the great news."_

Dr. Mariano nodded her head. It was weird energy at the moment, but she knew that was about to change,_ "The good news is that there is no brain imbalance. You are not sick at all."_

The couple looked at each other and smiled. Fitz kissed her forehead. She could tell that he finally exhaled which she was happy about.

They waited to hear the great news. Dr. Mariano smiled_, "The great news is the reason you are tired is because you are pregnant."_

Olivia had a cup in her hand. She dropped it. She looked at Fitz who like her had tears in his eyes. They both looked at the doctor to make sure they heard her correctly.

They both realized they did and the moment was everything for them. They had made a deal. They would not stress themselves on getting pregnant. Once her IUD was removed they went with the flow. Now they would be married in a couple of days with their first child.

Dr. Mariano congratulated the couple. Dr. Mariano told Olivia that she would speak with Dr. Marilyn Jerome who was Olivia's OBGYN. They would arrange for her to come to the White House to do a full work up and get her first ultra-sound. Dr. Mariano smiled at Fitz. She knew that he was taking Olivia on a honeymoon, but it was a surprise for her. She would be taking the trip as well.

She was about to walk out the room when she turned around and told the couple that it looks like Olivia was around five weeks.

The couple smiled and looked at each other, _"Body Party"_

They climbed in the bed and Fitz was holding Olivia. He had his hands on her stomach. They were enjoying the silence and reflecting on their life.

Fitz was curious how long Olivia wanted to wait before they told anyone. Olivia was as usual reading his mind when she said,_ "I want to get through our first trimester before we tell the public, but as soon as we get back and confirm this and we get the ultrasound I want to tell the family."_

Fitz kissed her forehead and nodded. Olivia turned around and faced him, _"I'm not scared. I am carrying this baby to term. I promise to take care of myself."_

Fitz moved his forehead down and looked her in the eye,_ "Sweet baby, I know that you will take care of the baby and yourself. I never question your skills as a mother. I am happy for us. What a way to bring in the new year marriage and a baby. We won't be able to top this for a while."_

Olivia smiled, "_Yeah but you get no complaints from me."_

Fitz smiled,_ "Me Either"_

It now made sense to Olivia why she had almost lost her taste for wine over night. Even the smell of wine got to her. She hadn't had any more sickness as of yet, but she expected it to come. She just prayed they could make it through the wedding without any mishaps.

Now that Olivia knew why she was so tired she didn't overlook it. She had spent some time on the internet researching things that she should and should not do. She knew that once she told everyone she would get some advice, but right now she was on her own.

New Year's Eve was here before they knew it. As Olivia got ready for their rehearsal dinner she prayed everything went well. She knew that some people had issues with them not getting married at the White House or in the United States. At one point she was going to scratch the idea until Fitz reminded her that this was their wedding. They compromised and allowed their wedding to be streamed live. Kimberly Mitchell was given access to the couple prior to the wedding to give them a small glimpse of them getting ready.

The rehearsal dinner was held at the same location as their wedding which was the Belmond Copacabana Palace. They went through rehearsal and dinner was served in the Blue Room.

The same photographer that Fitz had hired to take their engagement pictures was also handling their wedding. There was a team capturing the rehearsal dinner. They had decided the wedding was going to be a formal affair. They were after all President and First Lady.

For the rehearsal dinner Olivia was wearing a Blush J. Mendel Strapless Draped Column Gown. Fitz complimented her by wearing a Blue Armani Slim Fit One Button Suit.

The couple enjoyed their evening and there were several toast given in their honor. They stayed together to bring in the New Year. Shortly after they brought in the new year they brought the evening to a close. Fitz & Olivia were saying their good-byes to each other and to the kids. Olivia was going to remain here at the hotel and Karen was going to stay with her. Teddy was going back to the house with Fitz. They had rented several suites to get ready for tomorrow.

Now that Olivia was with child it was very easy for her to go to sleep. It took no time for Karen & Olivia to fall asleep after they talked to Fitz making sure they made it to the house safely.

The sun woke her up. She could help but smile. It was her wedding day. There was not a single jitter.

It was a little after seven. She decided to go ahead and shower and wash her hair. That would be one less thing she had to do.

David arrived to her suite a little after eight. The hair and make-up artist were setting up as they spoke. He had breakfast put in the suites. He asked how she was doing this morning. She looked really calm for a woman who was about to become the First Lady of the United States.

Olivia smiled and it brighten the room for sure, _"I'm good. Ready to get going"_

David nodded, _"Well everything is on schedule. We are headed down to check on the rooms. They had rented out the Antique Casino which could turn into three rooms which was what they wer doing. The Gallery marble staircase and columns were elegant and caught her eye immediately. The Crystal Room had chandeliers that screamed elegant. The room also had a feel that made you Palm Room captured her when the light came into the room. The Crystal Room was where they were holding their ceremony, the Gallery is where cocktail hour was going to take place, and the Palm Room was where they were going to have their Reception._

Everyone arrived and their morning began. They all got manicures and pedicures. From there they got their hair & make-up done. Olivia requested that everyone looked natural. She didn't want anyone to look like they had pounds of make-up on including herself.

They did an outstanding job with everyone. The kids had make-up but it was appropriate for their age. Olivia's had went with a updo for her wedding. Once she was done with her hair they went ahead and put on her tiara and veil.

Everyone went over to the suite set up for them to get in their dress and shoes. Olivia had purchased everyone a diamond necklace and earrings set as a gift. The adults were designed differently that the girls.

They came in her suite to show her how they looked. The dresses were perfect on everyone. The plum against everyone's skin was perfect. She couldn't be happier if she tried.

Olivia stepped in her room to get dressed. They had flown the designer in to help Olivia just in case any last-minute mishaps took place which thankfully did not.

When Olivia stepped in her dress time stopped for a moment. Her emotions were getting the best of her. She had been on auto-pilot all day, but now she stopped and relish in the moment that she was a bride. She was about to marry Fitz. She was really about to get her happily ever after. She felt even more beautiful today than when she tried on the dress in New York.

Olivia had selected a Mori Lee Dazzling Beaded Empire Bridal Gown with Allover Embroidery on Net. They helped her step into her Ivory Satin and Glitter Grano Heels and put on her garter.

When Olivia stepped out it seemed that all the air in the room went out. Abby & Quinn were seeing Olivia in her dress for the first time and the others saw her in it, but it was different. She was about to walk down the aisle. None of them could think of a bride that looked as beautiful as Olivia did in that moment. She looked like royalty.

Thank God for waterproof make-up. Olivia had not noticed that her dad was now in the room. When they saw each other the tears fell. Rowan had never seen his daughter look like this. He was thankful that he made the decision to be in her life. It would have been so sad if he had missed this moment.

Rowan came over and whispered, _"You are so beautiful. You look so much like your mom right now. She really would have been proud of you Olivia."_

Olivia was too choked up to speak so she nodded. The make-up team came in the room and did some touch-ups. The photographer was ready to capture so pre-ceremony pictures.

Rowan came over and presented Olivia with a box. He told her that this was her something new.

Olivia opened the box. There was a note on top,_ "I know we both questioned whether this day would come, but it has and I can not wait. I know that it is going to be great. I can't wait to see you when you walk down the aisle. Dad made sure that I had a handkerchief ready. Love you and enjoy your something new. Fitz."_

Olivia opened the case to find a twelve caret custom designed Chandelier Diamond Necklace. Olivia could only smile.

Her dad handed her another box and told her it was her something old. It turned out to be her something old and something blue because it was her mom's sapphire and diamond earring that her dad had bought her for their wedding. Marta helped her change her earrings.

Her something borrowed were the diamond hair pieces in her hair that belonged to Marta.

Olivia had sent Fitz's gift with Tom this morning. She had gotten him a Rolex Diamond Watch. She wrote a note in the card that said,_ "Time is ticking till you are off the market for good. I love our one minutes, but I love that after today we can have a life time of one minutes. I'll see you at the altar. Livvie"_

David brought her bouquet to her. It was beautiful. It was a combination of hydrangea and purple roses.

After a few more pictures it was show time. They made their way down to the room. Olivia still wasn't nervous. She was able to get a glimpse of their ceremony and it looked beautiful. She had really left all of those decisions to David.

The ceremony had officially began. Everyone began to make their way down the aisle. Finally the runner was put down signifying it was time.

Rowan looked at Olivia and said, _"Ready baby girl"_

Olivia nodded with a grin,_ "I'm more than ready"_

When the door opened everyone stood. When everyone got a glimpse of Olivia you could tell that everyone was in awe of this woman. She was just naturally beautiful inside and out. This moment would remain in the history book for some time. Olivia did not disappoint. As the camera rolled everyone at home felt like they were watching the American version of a royal wedding.

Fitz looked dapper in his Calvin Klein two-button Tuxedo. His hair was slicked back. He was such a sexy man. What was even more sexy is the emotions that were pouring out of him. He always tried to imagine what Olivia would look like on their wedding day. He had not come close to the vision of beauty that was before him.

**Ceremony**

_**Dearly beloved, we are assembled here in the presence of family and friends to celebrate the joining of this man and this woman in the unity of marriage. There are no obligations on earth sweeter or tender than those you are about to assume. There are no vows more solemn than those you are about to make. There is no human institution more sacred than that of the home you are about to form. True marriage is the holiest of all earthly relationships. The state of matrimony is based in this deep, invisible union of two souls who seek to find completion in one another.**_

_**Giving away of the Bride: Who gives this woman in marriage?**_

_**Rowan said, : "I do"**_

_**Will you please face each other and join hands?**_

_**Fitzgerald, will you take this woman, whose hands you hold, choosing her alone to be your wedded wife? Will you live with her in the state of true matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor her at all times, and be faithful to her?**_

_**Olivia, will you take this man, whose hands you hold, choosing him alone to be your wedded husband? Will you live with him in the state of true matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor him at all times, and be faithful to him?**_

_**As you take these preliminary vows, Fitzgerald and Olivia, I would have you remember:**_

_**To love is to come together from the pathways of our past and then move forward...Hand in hand, along the uncharted roads of our future, ready to risk, to dream, and to dare... And always believe that all things are possible with faith and love in God, and in each other.**_

_**Will you repeat after me?**_

_**I Fitzgerald, take you Olivia to be my wife, to love and cherish, from this day forward, and thereto pledge you my faith,**_

_**I, Olivia, take you Fitzgerald, to be my husband, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, and thereto pledge you my faith.**_

_**I understand you have brought rings as a token of your sincerity?**_

_**Bless O God these rings, that each gives, receives, and wears as a token of the covenant between them and God, and may they ever abide in thy peace, living together in unity, in love, and in happiness, and with good purpose do thy will. Amen.**_

_**Fitzgerald, will you repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed. Let it ever be to us a symbol of our love.**_

_**Olivia, will you repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed. Let it ever be to us a symbol of our love.**_

_**In as much as you, Fitzgerald, and you Olivia, have consented together in the union of matrimony and you have pledged your faith each to the other in the presence of these witnesses, now by the authority vested in me by the State of Illinois, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife.**_

_**You may kiss the Bride. (That kiss spoke volumes to the world. This was a happy couple who were madly in love with each other**_

_**LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I NOW PRESENT TO YOU MR. & MRS. FITZGERALD THOMAS GRANT III. PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.**_

The bridal party went off to take pictures while their guest were escorted to cocktail hour.

Olivia tried really hard to not make their wedding to stuffy although they were dressed formally. So when it came to the cocktail hour and reception she mixed it up.

They had full bar services. They had purchased all top liquor and wines. For the guest to snack on their had fruit, cheese, and vegetable trays. They also had meatball and mini-cheeseburgers. They had a shrimp station set up and also had mini ravioli and marinara sauce.

Once they were done with pictures David took them to see their reception room. They spared no expense. The lightening set the tone of the room and would change throughout the night. It would look like the chandeliers were changing colors as the evening went on.

The monogrammed white dance floor with their initials was spectacular. The tables had tropical center pieces that varied in size with crystals around them.

There were several ice sculptures set up. They were using china that had 14 carat gold rims. The finest silverware and glasses were brought in.

The table clothes and chair covers had been custom-made for the couple. Each setting included a favor that the couple was giving their guest.

They had a photo booth set up. A candy bar and desert bar were there. David had even made a lounge area for people to sit at. It was a little less formal and Olivia knew the kids would enjoy it.

The couple made their way out so that the guest could come in. They took a moment for themselves.

Fitz kissed Olivia, _"You are my wife. You are finally Mrs. Grant"_

Olivia laughed, _"I am. You are stuck with me. There will be no divorce Mr. Grant. We already have one in the oven"_

Fitz held her then he pulled back and looked her in the eye,_ "I promise you this is forever. I love you so much. You look so beautiful."_

Olivia let him hold her. Gosh she felt so safe_, "I love you too. I have never been happier than I am in this moment."_

A short time later they were introduced for the first time.

Their first dance was to** K-Ci & Jo Jo "All my Life"**

**I will never find another lover sweeter than you, sweeter than you**

**I will never find another lover more precious than you, more precious than you**

**Girl You are Close to me you're like my mother,**

**Close to me you're like my father,**

**Close to me you're like my sister,**

**Close to me you're like my brother**

**You are the only one my everything and for you this song I sing**

**All my life I pray for someone like you**

**I thank God that I, that I finally found you**

**All my life I pray for someone like you**

**I hope that you feel the same way too**

**Yes, I pray that you do, love me too**

**Said I promised to never fall in love with a stranger,**

**You're all I'm thinking of I praise the Lord above,**

**For sending me your love, I cherish every hug,**

**I REALLY LOVE YOU!**

**All my life, I pray for someone like you,**

**I thank God that I, that I finally found you**

**All my life I pray for someone like you**

**I hope that you feel the same way too**

**Yes, I pray that you do, love me**

**You're all that I've ever known, your smile on your face, all I see is a glow,**

**You turned my life around, You picked me up when I was down,**

**You're all that I've ever known, when you smile your face glows,**

**You picked me up when I was down**

**You're all that I've ever known, when you smile your face glows,**

**You picked me up when I was down & I hope that you feel the same way too,**

**Yes I pray that you do love me too**

**All my life, I pray for someone like you,**

**I thank God that I, that I finally found you**

**All my life I pray for someone like you**

**I hope that you feel the same way too**

**Yes, I pray that you do, love me too**

**All my life I pray for someone like you**

By the time the song was over they had a father-daughter dance and a mother-son dance. Karen had talked them out of doing something for them during the ceremony. She assured them they knew they were a family. She wanted the moment to be about them. They deserved it.

They went with a five-course meal since they had some distinguished guests. They allowed their guest options which were listened on the custom designed menus

**First Course:**  
><strong>Trio of Appetizers<strong>

**~ Mango, apple and mint bruscetta with melted brie cheese**

**~ Smoked salmon rosettes with dill cream cheese and cucumber**

**~ Proscuitto and roasted red pepper phllyo bundles with rosemary**

**Second Course:**

**Mesclun greens wrapped in a cucumber ring topped with mixed sautéed forest mushrooms, dried cherries and toasted hazelnuts. Dressed in a roasted garlic and blueberry balsamic vinaigrette.**

**Third Course:**

**Jumbo "rolled" manicotti stuffed with mixed roasted vegetables, slow roasted tomatoes, ricotta cheese and herbs. Topped with a white wine cream Chablis sauce and garnished with edible flowers.**

**Fourth course:**

**Roasted AAA beef tenderloin served with red wine bordelaise sauce**

**OR**

**Roasted skin-on breast of chicken stuffed with apricots, onions and bacon. Served with a mushroom tarragon demi glaze**

**Dessert Course:**

**Classic Carrot cake with cream cheese icing and a dark chocolate mini brownie**

Dinner was great. They could tell that everyone was having a great time. They hired a band a D.J. to give the reception some variety. They walked around and talked to their guests. Olivia was excited to see Kerry and meet her family. She was also excited to see Melinda Gates. They shared a heart-warming moment. There was nothing that they would change out this day. Olivia had not once thought about optics. This was her wedding day.

It was time to cut the cake. It had been one of the highlights of the reception. Buddy had done a masterful job.

It was a six-tier Cinderella Castle Cake. The Swarovski crystals made the cake look even more stunning. The cake was lit with purple lights in the castle topper.

They lovingly fed each other. They enjoyed their reception. They took pictures with as many people as they could. They gave a short interview to Kimberly after they were married. They hung out with the kids and took pictures with them in the photo booth.

The desert and candy bar were a hit. They had successfully pulled off a wedding they pleased all their guests.

Olivia had made some changes from their first trip in New York for various reasons, but everything had worked out. More importantly they were officially married. They started their year off getting married. Every year they would start their year celebrating not only a new year but another year of them being together.

Olivia was getting tired and was ready to get out of her dress. They were staying in the penthouse suite that Olivia stayed in the night before. They had to take their paperwork to the registry office tomorrow and make it official.

They said they good-byes and enjoyed the send off that was done for them. Fitz carried his wife in the room. He helped her get undressed. She looked so sexy in her bustier and garter belt.

He could resist putting his hands on her stomach. There was a baby in there. They lay there on the bed enjoying the moment.

Both were thinking about one of the best days of their lives. The silence and the solitude of them being married lulled them to sleep.

**A/N-They are married and Olivia is officially the First Lady. She is also officially pregnant. Next up is their honeymoon, confirming her pregnancy, and Mellie. Let me know what you think...**


	29. The First Couples Honeymoon

**A/N-There is some serious sexy time in this chapter. If it is not your thing then you might want to jump over it. You will want to read their discussion though.**

Fitz was the first to wake up. He was still in shock that Olivia was officially his wife. Olivia was official the First Lady of the United States. Olivia was his first lady.

He had always wondered how it would feel when it finally happened. You dream something for so long you first start to wonder if it will come true. Then you wonder will it be all that you dream it to be.

Fitz could honestly say that being married to the love of his life had been everything he hoped it would be.

Their wedding was magical. The location, the ceremony, the guests, the food, the reception was the time of his life.

When he married Mellie it was so rigid. It was a classical band. No real dancing. The food was stuffy. There were very few kids there. The tone was set from the beginning. They were entering into a business arrangement.

Yesterday felt like he had really gotten married. The kids had a blast. It was great to see Karen so happy. She had already had too many dark days for someone her age. Olivia had made sure that David included the kids. It was important to her that they knew she really felt like they were her children.

Karen noticed that Olivia had made some last-minute changes to the reception and the ceremony. When Karen noticed the changes since she was in New York and knew what her mom had originally selected it made her really feel special and included.

Olivia had never shown her once that she didn't take her role as a parent serious. Karen just loved that she respected her voice. She didn't dismiss her as some ignorant teenager. What her mom didn't know was that the respect and confidence her mom showed her at home allowed her to be confident with her voice in the real world. She wasn't afraid to share her thoughts and opinions which was something that she was afraid to do in her past.

Fitz had thought about Gerry a lot throughout the day, but there were small things there that remind them of him.

There was a chair left open in his honor. There was also two candles lit in his honor. One by the kids and one by the couple.

Olivia had one lily added to her bridal bouquet so she could feel him near her. At the ceremony they had a picture of him blown up and put by the book where the guest signed in. The desert and candy bar included some of his favorites. They were small touches but it allowed them to feel his presence.

As he turned and looked at his wife a grin formed on his face. Not only was Olivia now his wife, but they were finally pregnant with their first child together. He could not be any happier if he tried.

He looked at the clock and noticed that it was just a little after four in the morning. He wanted Olivia to rest. She was now sleeping for two. He lay staring at his wife until sleep overcame him again.

The sunrise woke Olivia up. As the sun beamed into their suite she could only smile. God had finally given her something she never thought she would have. A family of her own. She was now married to the love of her life. They had two children and now a biological child on the way to add to their family.

Olivia lay in the bed happy, but also thinking. She had to make sure when they tell the kids about the baby that she made sure to not only tell them, but show them that they would be loved the same as the biological child that she was carrying.

Life was pretty good right now. She had not always been able to say that. She was glad that her dad was there to walk her down the aisle. When her mom died she had lost both of her parents that day for years. Now he was back and she was happy. She was happy that not only was he back, but he wanted to be around. He was not only a father to her, but to Fitz. She knew how much it meant to him. His dad was never proud of him. At least with her dad when he was around he was hard on her, but she knew that he was proud and that he loved her.

Rowan had made Fitz a more confident man. A more confident President. She hoped that her dad would stay with Marta. She was good for him. She wanted them to be the doting grandparents. She wanted for the rest of Marta years she know that she was part of a family. She was a mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend.

They had created their own family. The biological connection didn't matter. They loved one another and would protect each other to the ends of the earth.

Olivia didn't feel her husband move until he put his hands on her stomach. She loved that he did that already. It was how she wanted it to be.

Fitz smiled, _"Good morning my wife Mrs. Grant"_

Olivia smiled,_ "Good Morning my husband Mr. Grant"_

Fitz leaned over and kissed her_, "How do you feel this morning?"_

Olivia nodded, _"Good. The sleep helped and the fact that the wedding is finally over with helps. I am so happy we are finally married."_

Fitz nodded, _"Ditto. Well we should have some breakfast and then we can head out to the registrar so that we can make our marriage legal. We need to stop by and see the kids before we head on our honeymoon."_

Olivia stopped and turned,_ "I'm sorry can you repeat that?"_

Fitz smiled,_ "Sure Mrs. Grant when people get married they go on a honeymoon. While our trip here has been an adventure and a great time it is not the same as a honeymoon. Ma, Karen, & Nicole finished up packing your things last night. I started as well as I packed mine so after we spend a little time with the kids we are on our way to our destination which is a surprise."_

Olivia jumped in her husband's lap. She hugged him and began crying. She was definitely pregnant. Although she was still emotional because she knew that now that they were married that the romance would not die.

Fitz held his wife and allowed her to release whatever was going through her mind. Once she calmed down he whispered in her ear, _"What is bothering you Livvie? Tell me and I can try to fix it."_

Olivia shook her head, _"No nothing is wrong like that. It's silly but I promised myself I would try to tell you things even when I thought they were meaningless. The biggest fear I had is that once we were no longer a secret would the romance die. Would you no longer do the romantic things for me? It was one of the reasons I was always scared to I guess come out of the closet. I wanted the Fitz behind close door to be the Fitz in the open. I just never realize that it would be even better. I'm sorry that it took so long for us to get here."_

Fitz continued to hold her. He waited a few moments to allow her to gather herself so she could hear him. He could feel the tension in her body.

Fitz remained calm so that she could eventually relax which he could began to feel her doing so he spoke,_ "Livvie, I need this to be the last time that you apologize. We both wanted to be where we are now long before today. Life happened. Things got in the way. We got in the way. The important thing is that we figured it out. Not just for us a couple, but us as a family. Maybe that is the reason that we needed more time so we could put it all together. Nevertheless we are here and things are great. Sometimes you just have to see things to believe it, and I have come to respect that I have to show you better than I can tell you. I get that with the nature of our relationship that it would be hard to believe that who I was and what I did was not just to sleep with you. It's not about I told you so. It is about now you know that my love for you was and has always been real. I will always treat you like a queen because you deserve nothing less. This is a magical time in our lives. Let's enjoy it. We are married and in eight months we will have our first little one. I need you to enjoy this time. I want you to enjoy your pregnancy. Let the small stuff go. Let me take that own."_

Olivia looked her husband in the eye and she caressed his face. She smiled with tears in her eyes and nodded, _"I love you. I promise to never take those words for granted anymore. I never want you to assume I love you. I need you to know that I love you. You are the love of my life."_

Fitz held her face with tears now in his eyes, _"I have always known Livvie. It is great to hear you tell me, but I always knew."_

The couple enjoyed a few more quiet moments before they got up and began their morning. They ate a small breakfast and then showered and dressed for their day. They went to the registrar and submitted all the documents and made they marriage legal. They went to the house and were greeted by their family and friends.

Olivia had noticed that her clothes were already getting tight. Something that in the last couple of weeks she attributed to bloating and stressed. Now she realized that it was not bloating, but a very tiny baby bump was forming.

When they went in the house the kids ran over to her. Teddy was telling her about his thoughts on the wedding and how Papa and Nana had allowed him to bring some candy and deserts home to have. He then looked at his mom and said with a serious face, _"I know I can't have it all at one time."_

Olivia could only laugh at her son. Karen had been on a high since they boarded the plane to come here. If there was any doubt that she really wanted to visit Brazil it had quickly left. She absorbed everything. While they had done some fun activities as a family. Karen really embraced the culture and wanted to learn about various sites. She could tell that Karen was going to be always love school and love to learn new things like her and Fitz. It would be exciting to see where life too her.

Karen smiled at her mom, _"That is a pretty dress mom. It is more loose-fitting than normal; are you still bloating she whispered in her ear?"_

Olivia smiled and nodded, _"When Karen had started her period they had sat down and talked. She had read somethings and her friends told her other things so she had come to Olivia to understand fact from fiction. It was really the first time that Karen had truly felt she could come to her mom about anything and talk to her without judgement. They had minor disagreements, but they got over them quickly"_

After spending the morning with the family they said they good-byes and told the kids they would see them in a week and would talk to them soon.

They got in the car on their way to their destination. Fitz decided to give Olivia a hint of where they were going.

Fitz grabbed Olivia's hand, _"I wanted this week to be relaxing. I wanted us to have a week to do everything and nothing without a lot of prying eyes. For us that is next to impossible with our titles, but I think I found a way to make it come true for you. I hope that you like it."_

After awhile they pulled up to what Olivia could only describe as a private marina, but there were not a whole lot of boats around. There were only two large yachts there. Then it dawned on her. They were going on a yacht.

Fitz smiled when he realized she figured it out. He could tell though that she was not completely sold on being on a boat for a week. However this was not any boat or yacht. She would soon find out.

Their doors were opened and the crew immediately came to greet them.

Their captain name was Daniel Shaw and his son was the first mate. His name was Lawrence.

Captain Shaw, _"It is a pleasure to meet you President and First Lady Grant. We have prepared everything and you can board once your agents do their walk-through."_

The agents went on board and confirmed the yacht was cleared for them to enter. Everyone grabbed their bags and entered the yacht.

Lawrence was going to take the couple around to show them the amenities. Olivia gasped when they walked in. This was a luxury home on the water.

The master suite where they would be staying was just as luxurious as in hotel she had ever stayed in. Actually it might have been better.

The first thing she saw that made her realize how much effort Fitz had put into this trip was that there was a swimming pool and Jacuzzi on deck. It got better because Lawrence showed them the gym, the movie theater, beach club, library, and spa that was all on the yacht.

She didn't even want to know the small fortune her husband had spent to make this possible. Lawrence then went through the list and Fitz had made sure they stocked all of her favorites. Even some new things that she now realize were cravings were not stocked. He had gotten her wine, but called and had then to stock up on sparkling cider and juice now that he knew she was pregnant.

Before they made their way to their suite Tom came over and handed her a bag, and in a surprising move he hugged Olivia.

Tom smiled and said, _"The doctor told me to give you these. She said to try to make sure that you eat plenty of iron. Congratulation Mrs. Grant."_

Tom left the room before she could say anything. She looked at her husband who smiled at her.

Fitz shrugged his shoulder,_ "I am not the only one who wanted you as my First Lady. Sure Tom is loyal, but I knew early on that he had a lot of respect for you. There were times where he talked me off of the ledge. There were times where he told me to give you space, and let me know that I was smothering you."_

Olivia could only nod. She opened up the bag and there was a two-week supply of prenatal vitamins for her until she got back to the United States and could see her OBGYN.

As they unpack Olivia asks Fitz, _"So I suppose that we are traveling somewhere right?"_

Fitz nodded, _"Yes this is a private South American charter so we go from Brazil to Antarctica, South America. We will get to visit the Galapagos Islands. In addition to that we will see Peru, Chile, Argentina, and finally Antarctica. I think that you will enjoy it."_

Olivia walked over to her husband,_ "Fitz, I promise that I love it already. I know that it is not about the money, but in this instance I know that you spent a lot of money and time to come up with this trip. I get to experience a honeymoon like a normal bride without cameras in my face. For that I thank you and I love you."_

Fitz held onto her hand, _"My main job is to be a husband and father then I am President. I know that when we get back we have duties that we have to fulfill, but we need to remain committed to our family."_

Olivia shook her head,_ "I promise to do my part. I promise not to stress too much. I want this baby. I need you to know I really want this baby. I will not let anything happen to our baby. Speaking of baby I am sure we have a kitchen here right."_

Fitz smiled,_ "We do and there is a chef that is on hard to fix most of our meals. I figured we would cook sometimes."_

Olivia said, _"Yes that sounds good. Can we have shrimp alfredo and a caesar salad and garlic bread for dinner?"_

Fitz kissed her forehead, _"Anything for you Livvie!"_

The couple enjoyed their dinner on the deck. The sounds of the water was a soothing soundtrack to listen to. The couple fed each other and enjoyed being a newly married couple with time to themselves.

After dinner and enjoying some time on the deck looking out at the water the couple headed down to take a shower and get ready for bed.

When they made it down Olivia noticed that the room and the bathroom had been set up for a romantic evening.

In the shower the couple took their time. They explored one another as if it was the first time they were going to be together. They washed each other as the kissed. The kisses started out gentle, but as time went on the passion began to build.

Fitz was determined to show his wife how much she really meant to him. That he didn't take her or her love for him for granted.

When they finished their shower Fitz carried Olivia out. He grabbed a towel for her first and then one for himself.

He took them into their bedroom where the only light was from the candles that had been put around the room.

He gently laid Olivia on the bed and went and grabbed her lotion. As he put lotion all over her body Olivia could not help but notice how gentle Fitz was being. It was almost like he couldn't believe the time had come. He was no longer making love to Olivia Pope his campaign advisor, girlfriend, Communcations Director. He was making love to Olivia Pope-Grant his wife, his best friend, the mother of his children.

Olivia grabbed Fitz's face. They stared at one another. Olivia wanted him to be in the moment with her.

Fitz grabbed a remote and music came on. He sat the remote down and leaned down and kissed his wife. The kiss was passionate. They were trying to convey their love for one another. Their tongues were dueling and no one was willing to give up in the moment.

Fitz heard the song that came on and his cock hardened. He was about to take his wife to places she had never been. He hoped this room was sounproof, because they were about to hear his wife screaming his name.

**Baby, would you mind touching me ever so slowly You're making me quiver And baby, would you mind undressing me Making me feel sexy while in the moment**

Olivia heard the words to the song. Fitz looked his wife in the eyes and they caressed each other. Tonight they were learning each other's body for the first time as husband and wife. It was going to be better than great. It was going to be out of this world.

**'Cause I'm gonna bathe you, play with you, rub you, caress you Tell you how much I've missed you I just wanna touch you, tease you, lick you, please you Love you, hold you, make love to you**

Fitz started at the top and make his way down. He would caress her and then he would kiss the same area. He got to that spot behind her ear and licked it. Olivia moaned at the action as it caught her off guard. Fitz never stopped. He continued to make his way down his wife's body. Olivia couldn't think. That had sex and made love numerous times, but Fitz was in a zone she had never experienced before.

**And I'm gonna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you deep inside me, ooh I just wanna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you, make you come too**

Fitz looked at her and smiled and before she could think he licked her slit like he was licking ice cream. Olivia couldn't contain her moans. Fitz didn't stop. He began sucking on her clit. Olivia's back arched off the bed, but Fitz wouldn't allow her to escape. Olivia didn't think she could handle anymore, but she had no choice. Fitz plunged two fingers in her clit. Olivia screamed out, "_Fitz Oh God what are you doing to me."_ He didn't answer. He began to eat her while she was riding his fingers. Olivia couldn't control the orgasms that racked her body. She couldn't even say they were coming. Finally after her second orgasm he began to kiss and lick his way back up her body.

**Baby, would you mind kissing me all over my body You missed a spot, there Baby, would you mind tasting me It's making me all juicy, feeling your lips on mine**

**'Cause I'm gonna bathe you, play with you, rub you, caress you Tell you how much I've missed you I just wanna touch you, tease you, lick you, please you Love you, hold you, make love to you**

It was like the words to the song controlled her husband in that moment. It was like he was making sure no spot in her body had not been touched. He turned her around and put some pillows under her and thrust into Olivia before she could think.

"_Fuck"_

_"Fitz what are you doing to me/"_

_Fitz growling, "Taking care of my wife"_

Fitz thrusts were deep and long. Olivia tried to muffle her screams in the pillow and that upset Fitz. He leaned over her and began to pound her like there was no tomorrow. Then he gently grabbed her hair and began to piston in and out in and out.

Olivia screamed and she was unable to muffle the scream

"_Shit Fitz. I am about to come."_

Fitz kept going. She wasn't sure if he was pounding, pistoning, or bucking at the moment but she let him have total control and enjoyed the ride until another orgasm came over.

**And I'm gonna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you deep inside me, ooh I just wanna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you, make you come too**

**Baby, would you mind coming inside of me Letting your juices free, deep in my passion**

Fitz was not done. He immediately flipped them over on their side. He lifted her leg and entered her again. Olivia put her around his neck. They kissed and she met him thrust for thrust. They could only groan and moan as they were giving each other all they had. Sweat was glistening off their bodies. Olivia had never been this wet in her life even with Fitz. It took them both to new levels as he slid in and out, in and out of her pussy. Another orgasm took over and this time Olivia flipped Fitz over and climbed on top.

**'Cause I'm gonna bathe you, play with you, rub you, caress you Tell you how much I've missed you I just wanna touch you, tease you, lick you, please you Love you, hold you, make love to you**

She smiled at her husband, _"You are not the only one who is going to have fun tonight."_ Olivia slid down on his cock. She wasn't sure where this new burst of energy came from, but she began to ride her husband's cock like he was a stallion. Now it was Fitz's turn to try to catch up, but his wife had taken a page out of his book. She leaned over and grabbed the headboard and rode his cock like her life depended on it.

_"Livvie. Oh Livvie. Oh God Baby So Good So Good"_

Hearing her husband say it was good did something to her ego so she began twerk her hips when she thrust down on him.

_"Oh Shit Livvie"_

She wouldn't stop. She kept going. She was on a mission and she refused to lose. Eventually they both gave in and the orgasm rocked them both. Olivia lost her breath for a moment. Fitz growled as his seed spilled into his wife.

**And I'm gonna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you deep inside me, ooh I just wanna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you, make you come too**

They lay there for a minute. They looked each other and began to kiss and make out. Kissing each other in spots they knew drove each other crazy. It took no time and Fitz was hard all over again.

**I just wanna touch you, tease you, lick you, please you Love you, hold you, make love to you And I'm gonna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you deep inside me, ooh**

Fitz flipped them over so Olivia was now underneath him. He looked down at his wife, and smiled. He slid into his wife. They kissed and made slow tender love until they came together.

**I just wanna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you Feel you, make you come too**

Fitz stayed inside her and made out with his wife. He got hard yet again after a while and they had yet another round of love-making. They talked to each other. Between moans they expressed their love and devotion for one another. They let each other know that it was her cock and his pussy for the rest of their lives. Olivia enjoyed the dirty took her over. A couple of thrusts later her husband emptied into her yet again.

They had throughly worn themselves out. They had consummated their marriage and somebody else's tonight.

Fitz moved over and Olivia lay beside her husband. He looked at Olivia and smiled.

_"Are you okay Livvie? Was I too rough? I am not sure where some of what we did came from."_

Olivia laughed, _"Yeah it was one hell of a night, but I wouldn't change a thing. Whatever mission you set on tonight I'll say that you accomplished it."_

Fitz laughed and kissed her forehead,_ "That's the thing. I'm not sure. It was like something in me switched when I looked at you. I was about to make love to..._

"_Your wife. I was no longer the mistress, the side piece, the girlfriend, or the fiancée. I get it honey. Tonight something that you have wanted for some long was real. It wasn't a dream. It wasn't something that you had to imagine. I was real. I am you wife. It's fine. To be honest the fact that tonight felt so different, but the same was great for me. it lets me know that we can switch it up. I don't want to become boring. I want to always be desirable in your eyes."_

Fitz turned and faced Olivia, _"Livvie you have always and will always be desirable to me. Do you know why I love your hair so much in your natural state?"_

Olivia laughed,_ "Sure because you can play in it and if we do something you don't have to worry about my hair."_

Fitz shook his head no. Olivia could see that his eyes were serious and he wanted her to really hear what he was going to say to her.

_"No Livvie. Those are added benefits. I love your hair in its curly state because you are completely you. While I hate that the world is like it is I get that your natural hair make throw white society off which I think is dumb, but being with you has allowed me to understand racism more. I knew it still existed but being a white man who doesn't look at skin color other than that you are a woman of color is naive. I get that Teddy & Karen will have an easier time in the world just because they are white. Even though all our children will be kind, educated, and loving our biological children will have to work twice as hard even if they are three or four times as smart as their white peers. Hopefully we can put a dent in that, but I now realize that it is stupid of me to think that times have completely changed. There have been great strides but more are needed. So when you are with me I want my wife to be herself. Who you are is enough for me. Hopefully by the time our children become adults we have made a bigger dent in society."_

Olivia was shocked as she listened to Fitz. It was easy for them to forget they were an interracial couple, because they didn't care about the color of each other's skin. She didn't choose Fitz because he was a rich white man. Edison was a rich black man. She chose Fitz because he loved her unconditionally. She never had to be anyone but herself as he just spoke. Even when she was at home Edison liked for them to walk around like cameras were on them 24/7. He hated that she wrapped her hair. When she washed her hair he thought she should straighten it before she went to bed. The fact that he didn't pretend that things were harder for her and would be for their biological children spoke volumes. It was sad that more did not share his view, but it was what made her so luck. Ironically she always thought that Edison wanted to be a white man. She had even joked that one day she was going to come home and he was going to look like Sammy Sosa.

Fitz lifted Olivia's chin up so they were eye to eye, _"I really love you. I am in love with you. You are what I want just the way you are. When you are six months pregnant I will want you, because size, color, hair doesn't matter to me. I fell in love with your heart and your soul. I know that will never change. "_

Olivia leaned up and kissed her husband with everything that she had. When they finally broke apart she smiled.

_"That is why I fell in love with you. It was also why I was so scared to completely give my heart and soul to you. I never wanted to lose the love and respect that we had for each other. We never had to put up walls or pretend. I'm glad that I gave in because being with you and you only and being your wife I get so much more. My life is whole. I thought that I had accomplished everything big that I wanted to accomplish. Being a First Lady is ornamental. I couldn't leave my mark on the world is what I thought. I know it's not true. We get to change the world. We get to show the world that blended families are just as good if not better than natural families. I have no fear stepping up to be First Lady. Daddy always taught me that I had to be twice as good, and now I get to show the world that a black women are smart, educated, hard-working, great wives, great mothers, who can achieve greatness and leave their place in history."_

Fitz nodded proudly,_ "That's right. When we get back Livvie that is what you need to do. Oprah, Beyoncé, Judy Smith, Shonda Rhimes, DianaCarroll, Ruby Dee, Cecily Tyson, Kerry Washington, Debbie Allen, etc. Those woman made a mark in the world in their field. Now they influence America and even the world. You step up to the mic and you can effect change not only for this country but other countries and nations. Show them who you are. Use your voice. Show this world that being black should not mean another other than it is the color of your skin. Will it ruffle some feathers? Sure, but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ruffled many feathers and kept pushing forward. We have a little over two years to use this platform to start change. Use it. Not that I care, but we don't have to worry about reelection. We need to open dialogue and once we leave the White House we continue. I don't care about Cyrus. I don't care about anyone who has a problem with it. They can kick rocks and resign. Promise me you will remain true to yourself, and use who you are to create change."_

Olivia nodded, _"I promise Fitz."_

"Good now let's enjoy our honeymoon so we can go home and show the nation who we are."

The couple enjoyed their honeymoon. They made love several times a day. They swam, they found there were jet skis on the yacht so they spent some time on them. They even went snorkeling which they both enjoyed.

Olivia was pampered at the spa. The chef cooked most of the time. He would make them a variety of meals. He would make them cuisine from some of the places they stopped at.

They actually spent some time in Galapagos Islands which is where they went snorkeling. The wildlife there was vast and it they enjoyed Chile they visited Easter Island. Olivia enjoyed looking at the stone figures that came from volcanic rock. Argentina was their favorite. They shopped, they went to an art gallery, and saw the glaciers.

As much as the couple enjoyed themselves they missed the kids and they were excited to confirm their pregnancy and hear their baby's heat beat for the first time. Olivia towards the end of the trip had some morning sickness, but it was not terrible.

They had finally made it back to D.C. after a long flight and the three-hour time difference. It was late so the kids were already in bed.

They still had one more day left before they were officially back from their vacation. Dr. Mariano was able to get her OBGYN to come over tomorrow evening to confirm the results and perform the ultrasound. Olivia wasn't sure how she was going to tell everyone, but they had decided that they would tell the kids separately from everyone else. They wanted to deal with whatever emotions the kids had, and didn't want others to intrude on that moment.

The next morning the kids were happy to see their parents. Karen missed her mom for the most part or her dad fixing her breakfast and then talking about what she had going on. Karen caught Olivia up on what was going on with school and soccer. She was telling Olivia how fun it was to come back to school and talk to her friends about what they did on Christmas break. Olivia enjoyed this time with Karen. She kissed her and told her she would see her tonight since they had soccer practice today.

Olivia went and laid back down. Fitz woke up to a knock. It was Teddy. He nodded to Tom to let him in. He ran over to Fitz and hugged him. Teddy was holding onto his neck really tight. He knew that his son had missed him. Fitz kissed his forehead. Fitz turned the TV on to Thomas the Train.

He moved Teddy between him and Olivia. Teddy moved over and cradled under Olivia. Before he could say anything Olivia woke up. She was met with a pair of blueish-gray eyes.

Teddy looked at his mom and hugged her. He hugged her the same way he did Fitz which caused tears to come to Olivia's eyes. Sure it was part hormones, but it was emotional to know that her children missed her.

Olivia kissed his forehead, _"Did you miss mommy and daddy"_

Tommy nodded. That bothered Olivia because she didn't want him to clam up.

Olivia sat up and pulled him in her lap,_ "Buddy mommy and daddy just went on a trip to celebrate getting married. Sometime we will have to go away to take care of the country so everyone is safe. Although it will be rare it may occur, but we need you to know that mommy and daddy love you and we will always come home to you okay. We will never leave our Teddy Bear behind forever okay."_

Teddy smiled. He looked at his daddy who nodded and he looked at his mom. He had picked up her habit of looking people in the eye. _"Okay mommy I get it. I missed you both so much. I love you mommy and daddy."_

The couple who both were trying to keep it together said,_ "We love you too."_

They spent most of the day with Teddy. They each worked from the Residence and their room catching up on emails, catching up on what was going on in the world, and looking at their calendar for the month.

Olivia was thankful that she didn't have a lot of traveling to do considering she was pregnant. Once it was confirmed she would have to talk with Nicole and Lauren and make sure that she didn't schedule too much. She would try to do as much as possible from the White House. She was determined to enjoy this pregnancy while being First Lady.

The time had finally arrived. Dr. Jerome had arrived with her assistant and everything was set up.

Fitz & Olivia walked in. Dr. Jerome greeted them. She knew they hated being formal when it was just them so she greeted them how they wanted her to, "_Fitz & Olivia it is good to see you. congratulations on getting married and I am told that we may have more to celebrate."_

Olivia immediately begin to grin, _"Yes Marilyn which is what she asked Olivia to call her. While we were in Brazil I was getting tired a lot. Fitz was concerned so I was checked out. The blood work came back that I was pregnant. They think I am five weeks,"_

Dr. Jerome nodded, _"Okay well let's confirm. My assistant is going to draw some blood, and I need a urine sample."_

Blood was drawn and Olivia went and provided a urine sample. A short time later Dr. Jerome came in smiling. "_You are definitely pregnant. Let's do an ultrasound so you can hear the baby and make it even more real for you, and confirm how far along you are."_

The couple had silent tears falling down their faces. You could see how truly happy they were. They were trying to wipe the tears off of each other's face.

The ultrasound was set up. A short time later they heard it. Olivia gasped and could not stop the tears from falling. Fitz was no better.

All of a sudden they heard Dr. Jerome say wait a minute. The couple looked at the doctor. Her forehead was scrunched up. She was moving the want around and trying to see something. They no longer heard the heard beat. They got scared.

Dr. Jerome moved the wand around again and said, "_Found it"_

Fitz said, _"Found what. What is wrong with the baby."_

Dr. Jerome turned and looked the couple, _"Nothing is wrong with the baby. You are six almost seven weeks, but I am not sure if this is good news or bad news but what I found was the other baby. There are two babies growing inside of you. President and First Lady, America is will see the first set of twins born while the President was in office."_

Neither one could say a thing...

**A/N-What a way to end the chapter. I know that some readers may not be comfortable with some topics I might write about. I went back and forth on whether I was going to real deal with race in this story, but it is real. I am a black woman. At first President Obama was and to some extent still is careful to discuss him being a black man. In recent interviews I noticed him being more open. What black man hasn't been stopped he asked? He was honest when he admitted that only because he is President does not get treated like many black men. I want to be clear in my story which is why I had Fitz say this that every white person is a racist. Many are not, but like anything in life we never get to see the good as much as we see the bad. So I plan on tapping into the fact that they are an interracial couple. I'm not going to have them hide who they are. No matter the color of your skin or your sexual orientation you should never have to hide who you are. Also the song was Would you Mind by Janet Jackson**


End file.
